


And In The End

by TheIskraeon



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: And In The End I Still Have No Idea What The Fuck I'm Writing, Angst, Body Horror, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hijinks with Inconsistent Motivation, Hijinks with Minor Injury and Questionable Healing, Hijinks with the Famalam, Hurt/Comfort, I HAVE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO LOSE AN ENTIRE DOG, I guess????, I'm Tepid Sorry, LOQI IS A FUCKING DRAMA QUEEN, M/M, Omgs, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, THAT'S A LOT OF NAMES, This AU is beautiful, Unresolved Sexual Tension, all these tags and we still can't find the plot, and clarus and cor are just shaking their heads constantly, aranea you smug little, i feel sorry for ravus, insomnia falls au, like the slowest burn guys, luna wants to adopt prompto, noct is distressed, nyx is amused, prompto is adorable, regis is so done and tired
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2018-10-02 04:44:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 35
Words: 90,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10209884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIskraeon/pseuds/TheIskraeon
Summary: Prompto never thought it would turn out like this. He'd figured it would be pretty simple; help the King, sign the Treaty, Noct marries Luna, everyone's happy. Except now that hope has been shattered like the glass windows of the Citadel. That hope has been crushed like the buildings of the Crown City under Nifleheim's feet.He could only hope that Noct was doing okay.





	1. Long Live The King

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lyrecho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyrecho/gifts).



> INSOMNIA FALLS AU SOUND THE ALARM THIS BITCH IS KICKING OFF BOYS, GALS AND NON-BINARY PALS, STRAP YOURSELVES IN FOR THE SHENANIGANS!!!!!

“This is bullshit.”

Prompto heard Ignis sigh for what must have been the fifteenth time today as Noct entered another bout of complaint about his father’s decision. 

“There’s no point arguing now Noct, your father cannot hear you.” Ignis replied and continued to take out the messily packed clothes Noct had thrown into his suitcase; Ignis folded them up neatly and repacked them just Noct threw another completely unnecessary article of clothing from his wardrobe onto the suitcase. Prompto held back a snort as Gladio rolled his eyes dramatically from where he sat, reading his book.

“No, but seriously Ignis,” Noct emerged from the wardrobe with more clothes strewn over his shoulders and even a sock lying atop his head, “Prom’s a member of my Crownguard! I just-!” Noct threw his arms up into the air angrily and Prompto huffed a little laugh.

“It’s fine Noct, I’ll send you a pic every day so you won’t forget me~” He chirped and Noct sent him a weak glare.

“You’re great with a gun! You’d protect me just fine! Why can’t Dad-!”

“Enough Noct.” Ignis chided and Noct snapped his mouth shut, his jaw tightening and Prompto could just about hear the grinding of the Prince’s teeth. Gladio snapped his book shut, all eyes turning to him immediately.

“We ready?”

\- ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Prompto felt awkward as he stood inside the throne room and listened to the King’s final words to his son before he left to get married. Gods, hadn’t they just graduated from high school? Felt like it. And hadn’t he just realised that... Prompto blinked furiously, trying to wipe away any trace of tears, and thank Her Lady above, no one was looking at him (felt like they were though). He watched Noct turn abruptly away from the King, eyes focused ahead of him and away from his home, his father. Prompto glanced back at the King who followed Noct’s exit with a frown before turning that frown at Prompto and nodding, signalling his right to exit.

He tried not to look hasty as he left, but man that throne room gave him the heebie-jeebies. So tense and regal all the time! Really did a number on his mood (and who knows how many grey hairs it added). Prompto turned around the corner and brightened as he saw Noct waiting for him, a smirk pulling onto his best friend’s face as he noticed Prompto approaching.

“Took your time.” He huffed, reaching out to ruffle his bubbly friend’s styled hair.

“Gaaaahh! Noct! Come on! This took me ages to style!” Prompto whined.

“Really? Thought you just rolled out of bed like that.” Gladio teased.

“Stood in the wind a while, perhaps going for a natural look?” Ignis added. All three of them burst out laughing at Prompto’s put-out pout.

“Come on guys!” He whined as he jogged to keep up with their hurried pace. He revelled in the comfort of his friends. Simply being able to be by their side was nice, Prompto wondered if he would still be able to hang out with them once all this was over. Yes, he was a member of Noct’s Crownguard but Prom had to wonder how long that would last until someone better came along. Someone who would replace him. A soft nudge from his right snapped him out of his thoughts; he turned to see Noct staring at him intently.

“W-What?” Prompto stuttered as that gaze intensified. Noct tilted his head before a smirk flashed onto his face faster than any warp strike Prompto had seen.

“I still think you’d fit in the boot of the car.”

“We are not smuggling Prompto to your wedding Noct.”

\- ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

The steps to the Citadel were enormous in number, small in height. They just went on and on...and on. Prompto swung his arms loosely as he walked Noct down to the Regalia that had been packed full to the brim with all of Noct’s suitcases (per Ignis’ instruction because of course Noct forgot to tell the staff). He couldn’t relax. As soon as Noct left he would be expected to stand at the King’s side and become a part of his temporary Crownguard. That was...terrifying.

It had been bad enough when Noct had asked him to join his Crownguard (there had been such an uproar, even more so when they’d found out his weaponry choice had been firearms and machinery, the Nifleheim trademark). Now he was going to be in the King’s and he would be standing by Gladio’s dad and Cor, THE IMMORTAL. Prompto took a deep breath to calm his thoughts and opened his mouth to speak when he heard a voice call out to Noct from behind them.

“Prince Noctis!”

All four of them turned to see Drautus helping the King walk down the steps with his cane. 

“What now?” Noct groaned and walked up, leaving Prompto to idle around the step awkwardly and stay where he was while Gladio and Ignis followed Noct upwards. He turned away and chose to ignore most of the conversation, appreciating the scenery around the Citadel and desperately wishing for his camera until he came in at the end of the conversation.

“Do watch your manners around your charming bride-to-be.”

“You too.” Noct quipped before turning around and waltzing down the steps back towards the Regalia. Prompto stepped to the side to let them pass, matching the smirk Noct threw his way until he heard a voice call out for him.

“Mr. Argentum.”

Prompto turned around, ignoring how he saw Noct stop and turn back as well,with a petulant, childish frown.

“Come along, Mr. Argentum. There’s much to be done.”

“Y-Yes, your Majesty.” Prompto replied, appreciating the supportive nod Drautus gave him. He turned back to Noct, Ignis and Gladio and threw them a beaming grin. 

“Say hi to Lady Lunafreya for me!” 

“Yeah, you got it.” Noct waved him, attempting nonchalance but he couldn’t remove the tense posture that had gripped his back. Prompto flashed a peace sign and hopped the steps two at a time before slowing and walking with King Regis and Drautus back into the Citadel.

\- ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

“I hope you will be staying in the Citadel, Prompto.” King Regis spoke as he walked Prompto down another corridor.

“R-Really? I, uh, I mean, I could if that’s what you want.”

“It will be easier to keep you involved if you stay close.” The King explained and Prompto sighed silently to himself.

“O-Of course.”

The pair came to a halt outside an ornate door and the King slowly opened to door; the handle letting out a satisfying click as the contents of Prompto’s lavish room came into view.

“Here is you room, I hope everything is to your standards.”

“Of course it is! It’s amazing! Ah! Th-Thank you, your Majesty.” Prompto bowed slightly and dawdled in the doorway a bit before rushing in and gawking at the fine details in the cornices, his fingers instantly itching for his camera.

“We have provided you with a uniform, please remember to wear it on the day of the signing.”

“Yes! Yes, your Majesty, of course!” Prompto nodded eagerly before the King left him in relative peace before it all came crashing in on him. Where he was. What he was doing. This wasn’t gonna end good was it?

\- ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiitt. People were throwing him nasty glares. Had they always thrown him nasty glares? He didn’t like this. Oh man, oh geez, was he going to be okay? It wasn’t like he could leave to go have a freaking panic attack. Couldn’t just go “Oh hey, your Majesty? Yeah, I’m gonna need about fifteen minutes to lose my freaking mind, don’t sign no peace treaty without me! Ya hear?” No he really couldn’t say that.

“Everything alright Prompto?”

He jolted and turned his head to meet the King’s concerned gaze. Man, this guy was so nice to him. 

“Peachy-keen your Majesty.” Prompto winced as soon as the words left his mouth in a low whisper, picking up his pace and only slightly fiddling with the cuffs of his tailor-made uniform. The King smiled softly and slowed down enough to walk beside Prompto much to the surprise of his Shield, Clarus Amicitia.

“Pay them no mind Prompto, they speak little intelligence. Most of their words deal little damage as well.”

“Regis.” Clarus scolded as Prompto tried to compute the fact that the King of Lucis, his best friend’s dad, had just smirked at him. Gods, was this where Noct got it from?

“I do not lie Clarus, it is not in my nature.” Clarus threw him a raised eyebrow mixed with a dirty glare that confused Prompto and also impressed him.

“You’ll be on guard?”

Prompto started again and turned his attention back to the King who regarded him more sternly.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Anything strange, you report it. No matter how small. Understood?”

“Understood.”

King Regis nodded before stopping and turning and entering the Throne Room. Prompto frowned quizzically as he followed the older men into the room, fidgeting once more at the oppressive atmosphere that enveloped every small crevice, every slim and glistening step. 

“Your Majesty?” Prompto called out hesitantly as the King ascended the steps precariously. He received no reply, only the sound of small puffs of air escaping the King’s lungs and Prompto was hit with the same worry and concern that Noct must have to deal with every day of his life. How much longer did the King have left?

“Prompto.”

The blond practically jumped out of his skin at the sudden sound that pulled him out of his thoughts. He responded hesitantly, brushing aside the snort he thought he heard from Clarus.

“Have you sensed anything as of yet?”

Prompto gulped and closed his eyes. Okay, suck it up Prompto. Do it for the King. For Noct. He turned to the screaming, hissing, primeval choir in the dark recesses of his mind and reached out. All for the King. The darkness, the pulsing black gunk rose around him, encasing him and spinning him senseless. He felt everything widen, bursting out at the seams before feeling out tentatively for other screamers. For the other voices that were reaching out, trying to hear something like a name. Their name.

He reached out a hand to the ones that were desperately trying to find themselves and they clung to him desperately.

WHAT AM I

WHERE ARE WE

I’M SCARED

DADDY?!

HELP ME

I’m here, he tried to tell them. It’s okay I’m here now. He took a deep breath, steadying himself before opening his eyes, shocked to find that they’d been glued shut by the black ooze that flowed beneath his skin. He rubbed hurriedly at his eyes, breaking away the gunk before blinking rapidly to clear his vision.

“Low-level MT soldiers, ranked 2 to 4. Born from the Temno branch, they’re carrying weapons; low-grade firearms, usually carried by all makes and models.”

“Do we take this as a threat?”

“No, no all MTs are designed to carry these, uh...within themselves. They’re built-in defence firearms.”

“Good, anything else?”

Prompto closed his eyes again and Clarus sent Regis a concerned look. Regis’ gaze softened into worry before becoming stern once more as Prompto re-opened his eyes.

“There’s this...hum, outside the Wall. I can’t...I can’t pin-point it.” Clarus frowned.

“That’s quite alright Prompto, you’ve done well.” Prompto flushed embarrassedly at the King’s words but his moment of reflection was interrupted as a clearly distressed man entered the room with guards following him exasperatedly.

“Your Majesty!” The man, the Glaive, called out to King Regis, rushing past Prompto and Clarus hurriedly. He came to halt by the base of the stairs and knelt down on one knee. Prompto stepped away from the centre of the room and clung to the wall, watching the scene like an outsider...which, well...if he thought about. He truly was.

“The Empire has taken the Oracle hostage.” 

Prompto felt his eyes widen and mouth hang open limply. What? When had that happened? Hadn’t she just been at the party last night? Well, Prompto hadn’t been allowed to go but he’d heard the King talking about it. He lost himself, his thoughts swirling chaotically as the choir swarmed again, his eyes leaking and he felt bile rising in the back of his throat. A metallic tang invading his mouth. He swallowed, allowed himself a breath of fresh air before focusing once more on the room and the people.

He’d missed most of the conversation but had entered at the last moment, just in time to hear King Regis give his permission to deploy the Kingsglaive. The Glaive practically bolted out of the room, raising his hand to some invisible earpiece leaving Prompto to watch him break into a mad sprint as soon as he stepped over the threshold of the Throne Room.

“Seems things are becoming more exciting than we had hoped for.” Prompto heard the King mutter and could only find enough motivation in him to deliver a tiny nod in response.

\- ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

The Nifleheim dignitaries weren’t welcoming in the slightest, and that guy with the purple hair...what was up with the hat? Didn’t he know that it was rude to wear hats indoors? Especially in the Citadel? Prompto held himself back from wrinkling his nose (it wasn’t really his place anyway, he was just some citizen, what right did he have to turn his nose up these guys?). He walked steadily behind the King and beside Clarus as they waltzed into the room...late.

“I was afraid you weren’t going to show!” The Emperor exclaimed with a dramatic wave of his hand.

“My apologies, a rather brazen thief decided to strike last night. The matter was of too much importance to simply dismiss.” Prompto eyes widened slightly, impressed at the King’s smooth, formal language. 

The party of three came to a halt at the King’s empty seat where he sat down, maintaining his straight posture as he regarded the Emperor. Prompto followed Clarus’ movements and stood next to him behind the seat, eyes watching everyone (the MTs) in the room.

“How unfortunate! I do hope you can be compensated for your loss.” Prompto forced himself not to snort, the obnoxious prick.

“Not to worry, all that has been lost will be returned.”

“Such confidence! How truly admirable of your Majesty.” Emperor Aldercapt waved his hands around again as Prompto glanced to Clarus, trying to gauge his passive face for some sort of emotion.

“I must say it is certainly a true pleasure to be able to meet you face to face, and to see your wonderous city in all it’s splendor!”

“Thank you.”

“However, while I have heard many a tale about yourself and your mighty Shield,” The Emperor gestured to Clarus who stood a little bit straighter, “I have not had the pleasure of knowing your latest companion.”

Prompto frowned inwardly. Latest companion? Latest companion who? His gaze flicked to the Emperor and he froze as he found the man’s sly grin turned on him. In fact, every gaze was now on him. Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

“My apologies, allow me introduce the latest member of my Crownguard. This is Prompto Argentum, a close companion of my son.” Regis gestured for Prompto to move forward and stand by his side, so Prompto obeyed with unease biting at his heels in the two short steps he took. He angled his face to look at the Emperor directly and felt nerves build up in the back of his throat like bile.

“Tell me Mr Argentum, what are your talents?” Prompto’s gaze fluttered down to the King who nodded reassuringly. 

“I am the King’s technological advisor.” Prompto winced internally as he heard his voice enter the room in a dry rasp before ripening into his usual sound.

“Technological advisor? You must be very good with machinery.” The Emperor’s grin was slightly surprised, but mostly predatory and it down-right terrified Prompto. However, it didn’t deter him, and it also didn’t dissuade him from hearing how the Emperor dropped into a rather simplistic vocabulary range. Prompto bit back his offence and selected his words carefully, aware of everyone listening in. Even the MTs.

“I would like to consider myself capable, your Highness.” The Emperor smirked.

“Wouldn’t we all?”

Before Prompto even had the time to wonder if that was an insult or not, a guard opened the ornate doors with a tremendous rumble. They walked across the polished floor towards King Regis.

Prompto fell back to Clarus’ side and allowed them space to lean down and whisper into the King’s ear. He watched the King relax before drawing himself up into a steady posture.

“Another thief?” Emperor Aldercapt asked almost teasingly.

“The same thief as before.”

“Oh?”

“What was once lost has been returned.”

“Thank the Heavens!” The Emperor exclaimed happily in a note that was a tad too high for normal.

“Shall we?” King Regis nodded to the Treaty and Aldercapt smiled.

“But of course.”

Prompto watched as the King pulled the documents closer and lifted a pen before he felt something rise up in the base of his skull, sending him teetering a little. Fortunately his sudden movements didn’t bring any concern to anyone apart from Clarus who looked at him with a frown. Prompto frowned back before closing his eyes, feeling the choir scratch of the back of his eyeballs viciously and tear at his temple.

What’s wrong?

They screeched and cried, dragging and pulling, kicking and screaming, biting at the inside of his skull. It was nauseating, listening to them, feeling their tragic voices swirl and swing from side to side like the sea in a storm. Movement. The thrum from before was stronger, more insistent as it began to beat like drums. The thrum. He’d heard it before. Prompto’s blue eyes flew open. The thrum of an engine. Louder than the usual car engine passing in the streets of Insomnia. No, this was a Magitek engine, like the ones that were just being built around the same time as him. 

His eyes latched onto the Emperor in disbelief, what was he thinking? Why was he bringing Magitek engines into the Crown City? Hadn’t they made an agreement? Weren’t they the ones that had brought about peace?

He flashed his eyes to Clarus and tried to convey all the worry, all the things he was hearing and feeling in one murky black glance. Clarus’ eyes widened, somehow comprehending all that Prompto was screaming in the back of his mind. All that he was chanting along in time to the pulsating choir.

Betrayal.

Invasion.

Carnage.

Death.

Long live the King.

“And now there is peace.” The Emperor stated as he picked up his pen to sign the Treaty.

“Peace.” King Regis sighed softly to himself.

Everything was still, much too still. Even the mechanical beating of the MTs steel hearts had stopped, they were waiting. Waiting like a predator waits for its prey to be at its most vulnerable. They were going to strike. They needed to get the King out of here. Clarus took a single step forward to the King to whisper into his ear of the danger…

And then something exploded. 

The rumble and screams echoed throughout the room, filtering in from the outside and everyone leapt into action. The Nifleheim dignitaries and MTs aimed weapons at heads as the Lucian advisors summoned theirs. The King raised his Armiger as The Emperor snapped his gun upwards, pointing it at the King’s head.

A bomb had exploded, and all peace was lost.

\- ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Noct snapped his head sharply to the right, eyes widening in sudden fear. His grip tightened on the rod in his hands as he watched the air, the sky, trying to sense something, anything.

“Noct?”

“Everything alright?”

Noct frowned and bit his lip. 

That tick, that pulse. He felt that when the guys summoned their weapons. But Gladio and Iggy, they were right here with him (albeit begrudgingly), watching as he fished. They hadn’t summoned their weapons. They weren’t fighting daemons today.

Prompto.

“Eos to Noct, you alright there bud?”

Noct shook himself out of his stupor and turned to face his Shield. Must be some last minute training to shake off the nerves. Prompto was notorious for getting anxious, and knowing him, he was probably about ready to vomit on some dignitaries shoes. The mental image made Noct snort.

“All good.”

Yeah, everything was going to be okay. Sign a Treaty, marry Luna, live happily ever after. He nodded to himself and turned back to the water.

Everything was going to be fine.


	2. They Can Bleed

It had taken the staff of the Citadel two hours to clean and polish the meeting room that morning. They had been so determined and cheerful. Whispering bubbly words of excitement; joyfully praising the King for the oncoming peace.

Now, as Cor looked up at that same Citadel, windows shattering, people running and screaming all around him as tin-soldiers descended from the sky...he had to wonder how many of those same staff were still alive.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Everything was a dangerous blur of bullets and swords. Sharps clangs of metal on metal. Soft squelches of blood as people were stabbed and shot all around him. Prompto fell to the floor and watched as a Lucian dignitary fell down beside him, eyes rolling back to reveal the whites of their eyes as they shuddered and fell still.

“Prompto!”

He felt Clarus grab his arm and haul him to his feet, before being thrown behind Clarus’ back as the Shield swung his sword down onto two MTs.

“Th-Thanks!”

“Focus Prompto!”

“Right!”

He summoned his guns and lifted them to his eye level, poised perfectly at an incoming MT’s head. Shot once, twice, maybe more. He couldn’t really tell but the metal form collapsed to ground, tin joints wailing in agony as it screamed for a name, a life, behind its metal visor. Prompto trembled, his shots becoming more unstable the more he shot at the fellow screamers, but no less lethal.

“Aldercapt!”

Prompto glanced past Clarus and watched as the King held back a collection of MTs, glaring angrily at the Emperor as he sauntered out of the room with an assortment of people by his side, including the ass-hat man. Seriously fuck those guys.

Prompto went to aim at them when he noticed an MT break through the King’s Armiger, grazing him with its bullets. Prompto hesitated. The Emperor or the King? Enemy or his best friend’s Dad?

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx flew the Magitek engine unsteadily over the Crown City, eyes widening in shock and horror as he watched familiar buildings burn down. Watched gardens crumble and fountains turn to rubble and debris.

“Shit.” He hissed.

The Princess gripped the arms of her chair tightly as she listened to screams of the civilians. Their blood-curdling cries of dismay as death gripped them and pulled them tightly through the veil to Etro’s land. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed.

King Regis...

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

He pulled his gun to the right and shot the MT off balance, leaving it open for the King to dispose of it. The Emperor slipped out of the room, but the ass-hat man, the Chancellor, stopped and shot a slimy smirk at Prompto before disappearing.

Prompto wanted to chase them down; rage and scourge beating like angry drums in his veins, but the King needed him. He turned his gaze back to the remaining enemies and lifted his guns yet again as Clarus slashed through a rowdy dignitary.

All for the King.

Prompto pulled the triggers on his guns more times he could remember, memories of fashing, sterile rooms and failed MTs charging at him with slobbery growls and screeches. All whining in pain within themselves, all begging to be put down. 

So he put them down.

Let them rest with aching fingers as he squeezed the trigger again and again and again.

He could feel Clarus throw him concerned looks, especially when he yelped as a bullet tore through his side. But he had to keep fighting. He needed to keep Noct’s dad safe. Enemies fell one by one, dropping satisfactorily to the ground, but so did their own men, and when Prompto finally fell to the ground in exhaustion he couldn’t help but notice how only him, Clarus and the King remained breathing.

“We need to get out of here.” Clarus grunted as he helped Prompto to his feet, not failing to notice how the kid winced and grabbed his side which was slowly becoming dyed with a petulant mix of red and black; congealing as it touched the air.

“Agreed.” Regis responded, wobbling slightly at the over-stimulation of the Armiger. His hands shook and felt numb, the Ring cutting into his finger painfully as the Lucii remained silent. His people, his Kingdom...his son.

He closed his eyes and hoped, to all kinds of Heaven, that Noctis was safe and sound.

Clarus nudged him from his left. Regis opened his eyes and cast them over both Clarus and Prompto; Clarus was fine, albeit with a few minor scratches and cuts, but Prompto. His son's best friend was not quite bleeding from his side, no, it was more like he was leaking. Like how the oil was spilling out of the dead MTs around them, Prompto’s blood and foul, black Scourge was flowing out of him easily, congealing and bubbling around his slender hand as he desperately tried to apply pressure.

Prompto caught the King’s worried frown and shot him a weak smile.

“I’m fine your Majesty.”

“No you’re not, don’t lie kid.” Clarus chided him and Prompto’s smile fell.

“Sorry.”

Clarus hoisted him upright, slinging Prompto’s right arm over his shoulders and helping him hobble towards the door, Regis followed closely, desperately trying to keep his gaze away from the corpses that littered the floor around them.

How could he have let things end up like this?

Where had he gone wrong?

Heavy footsteps reached his ears, echoing from outside the meeting room in the corridor that lay littered with the debris of fallen cornices and detached lights. Regis froze and met Clarus’ heavy gaze before turning back to the doorway as the footsteps came closer and closer. Clarus helped Prompto steady himself before pulling out his sword once more as Regis summoned the Armiger, the twinge and pull of magic causing him to wobble a bit before his vision cleared and he steadied his hand. All three laid in wait as the person came closer with powerful, intimidating steps.

A figure made of armour rounded the corner and blocked the doorway, purple strips of light pulsing and glowing along the metal that covered them. The trio froze as recognition dawned on them.

“General Glauca.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cor raced through the crying people that remained, not sparing a single, sympathetic glance as he pushed his way towards the Citadel. 

Just hold on a little longer Regis, please.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx raced through the Citadel, unease swirling in his stomach, barely remembering to check if the Princess was still with him. The Glaive, filled with traitors. The Crystal, gone. He’d seen the Empire lift it out of its confines in the Citadel and carry it away. What was going on? Where was the King? Was he-?

No, he couldn’t be dead. He was fine, just...detained. But not for much longer.

Nyx glanced back at the Princess before picking up the pace with more gusto than before; he just had to make it in time.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The General was STRONG, something Prompto probably should’ve realised before he got thrown across the room and collided with a solid concrete wall, feeling things within him pop out of place. The choir shrieked in agony and chanted for blood. For once, he agreed with them. Fuck this. He whipped out his gun as quickly as he could and shot from where he sat, crumpled on the floor.

His bullets couldn’t do much against the armour the encompassed the General’s body, and neither could Clarus’ sword. He watched hopelessly as the King’s Shield swung at the General, managing to clip the armour away slowly but by the time Clarus would get to the General’s flesh, ten years would’ve passed by. The King wasn’t fairing too well either, the weight of his magic was leaving him stumbling whenever Glauca blocked his strikes.

The choir swarmed over him, pulling him under and clearing his blurry vision as the Scourge began to collect in his eyes again.

See the blind spots.

Analyse the weaknesses.

Determine the best plan.

Prompto blinked himself out of his stupor and shot a couple more times, just to feel like he was doing something, before managing to stand, one hand on his side as it erupted in pain. The burning sensation engulfing him like the lava from a volcano.

He picked up one of the MTs guns, ripping it out of their arm with a wince. 

“Duck!” 

Clarus obeyed instantly, both ducking his head and moving out of the way as Prompto threw the gun at Glauca, smirking when it lodged itself in-between the grooves of his armour. Clarus cut down on the General’s arm as Prompto launched himself with adrenaline, lifting his legs up despite the protest in his side, and kicking the gun into Glauca. He smirked to himself, satisfied as he felt it break through and pierce flesh. 

Glauca wasn’t robotic.

They had flesh. They could bleed.

They could kill Glauca.

The General grabbed Prompto by the arm and whirled around, sending him flying into another wall and Prompto was sure this time he felt a crack. He let out an anguished cry as he cradled his head.

“Prompto!” Regis cried in alarm as Clarus slammed Glauca on the back of the head, leaving them dazed and clutching at their fresh wounds.

Prompto felt himself get picked up and pulled close to Clarus, who practically dragged him to where Regis was, a silent agreement to run echoed between them and they dashed out into the corridor, the King stumbling over his weakened knee as they went.

“Your Majesty!”

Clarus turned, sword at the ready but dropped it in relief when he saw the Glaive, Ulric, with the Princess. The pair looked battle-worn and exhausted with relief crashing in on their eyes. Ulric came to a halt in front of Clarus while Luna rushed past the pair of them into the King’s arms. Hugging him tightly.

“I feared the worst.”

“As did I, my dear, but now is not the time.”

As soon as the words left his mouth Prompto collapsed, falling to his knees by Clarus’ side who rushed to haul him back up again. Luna turned to observe him with worry, which increased ten-fold upon recognition.

“Prompto? You’re...oh no.” She whispered as she saw his wound.

“The hell?” Nyx muttered as he pulled back Prompto’s arm to get a better look. 

The black goo of the Scourge had completely congealed and hardened slightly, but it was also crawling up Prompto’s body, enveloping part of his abdomen and curling around onto his back, wiggling and writhing with a movement as if it itself was alive. Clarus gripped Prompto’s face and forced him to look into Clarus’ concerned eyes.

His eyes were glowing red.

“Damn it Prompto!” Clarus cursed.

The boy smiled pathetically and gave a thumbs up. He tried to speak but black liquid spilled out of his mouth instead of words, splashing up onto Clarus and Nyx’s boots which steamed hissed upon contact.

“Prompto!” Luna cried and rushed over to him, not caring if she stepped in the Scourge. She immediately tried to heal him but a metallic roar resounded, calling them back to the idea of escape.

All of them turned and bolted as best they could, down the corridor towards the elevator as they heard General Glauca crash out of the meeting room. His thundering steps ringing in their ears as they ran desperately. The group slammed into the elevator door and Nyx began to furiously hit at the buttons.

“Come on, come on!”

The steps grew louder. And louder. Luna glanced between Glauca’s oncoming figure and Prompto desperately as she tried to heal him somehow. Regis shook as the rumbling grew and he heard more screams erupt from outside. Clarus loosened his grip on Prompto and readied his sword once more.

The ting of the elevator swept through them all like a sigh of relief and they rushed in, clambering at the buttons to close the door. They all watched as Glauca continued to sprint towards them, racing against time as the doors began to slide closed. But he was too late and the elevator dropped unsteadily down to the lower floors, the group inside bracing at the sudden jolt as the machine roared to life.

Clarus placed Prompto on the floor of the elevator, propping him against the wall and Luna wasted no time tending to him, fluttering over him, brushing aside his hair to look into his eyes, before taking his hands in hers and closing her eyes in prayer.

“Ulric,” Nyx wrenched his gaze away from the pale, blond boy and met Clarus’ steady gaze, “what happened to the Glaive?”

“We were taken down from the inside; traitors.” Nyx looked to the King who shook his head wearily.

“They’ve taken the Crystal too.”

Clarus’ eyes widened in shock before turning on Regis.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Because I can still fight Clarus, it’s fine. Anyway, we have to focus on getting out of here.”

“And getting help.” Luna chipped in as she re-positioned Prompto’s hand to his side leaving him to pant and wince in pain.

Regis looked away, ashamed, as the shallow breaths Prompto emitted grated on his ears. Clarus and Nyx both stared at Prompto and Luna as the Princess rose and looked to them.

“I can’t fully heal him. We need medical help.” Her voice, bless her soul, was strong and steady but her hands were covered in blood and Scourge and her eyes were shaking in their sockets with ready tears.

“You...can’t heal him?” Nyx echoed and Luna nodded sadly. Nyx looked down at the kid and grimaced. How old was he? Twenty? And he was already dying. Nyx eventually pulled his gaze away and bit the inside of his cheek; he’d seen a great many people die, close friends, family, but it never got easier. A sharp intake of pained, gluggy breath from the blond made Nyx squeeze his eyes shut. It never got easier.

“Why not?” Nyx asked.

Luna opened her mouth to respond but Regis cut her off.

“Now is not the time,” the door to the elevator opened slowly with a mocking little musical tone, “we must hurry.”

They stepped out of the elevator hesitantly, Clarus slinging Prompto’s arm over his shoulder once more and all of them grimaced at the pained whine that fell from the boy’s mouth, along with the dark liquid that bubbled and hissed.

All five of them moved with trepidation, but also with great haste, glancing around in paranoia and fear to see if someone or something would jump out at them. Regis looked down the corridor and sighed happily in relief as he recognised the man at the other end.

Cor began to run towards them upon seeing them. Thank the Astrals, they were okay.

The ceiling rumbled and clattered, the luxurious chandeliers cracking and falling, crashing on the floor sending small jewels flying and rolling like waves in the sea. No. Cor ran faster, desperately trying to catch up with them as he noted the cracks in the walls, in the ceiling. 

He managed to meet them halfway, all of them looking panicked as they too noticed the Citadel collapsing in on them.

“We need-”

The rest of Nyx’s words were cut of by a tremendous roar as the building caved in, burying them under the rubble and dead bodies that littered the Citadel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the overwhelming response! I'm so glad to see a lot of you have seen the tumblr screams over this AU and know exactly where this is going <3 Once again, if you see any mistakes, please let me know! Also! I will not be updating as regularly as what I am now, I'm just on a lucky streak at the moment.


	3. One Person

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Went back and added a tiny bit more description for Prompto's "chains"; I know it's not too much more but I want to kinda keep some info for later chaps so it can be used as a "bonding" session between the crew. Hope this added section kinda helps with your understanding and once again, let me know if you see any mistakes or if you're confused by anything!  
> Love y'all! Talk to you soon! <3

Luna rolled over, groaning as she lifted a hand to her temple and tried to see in the dim lighting underneath the rubble. She could see Regis, not far from her, who had been mostly protected by his Shield. Nyx was next to her while the other man laid near the King. But Prompto; where was Prompto? She sat up in a panic and hit her head on the rubble, hearing it rumble at the sudden movement and shift before settling. 

Where was he? 

She looked around in front of her, desperately trying to see a tuft of blond hair but the red lighting wasn’t helping...wait. She froze. 

Red?

Luna turned around and gasped, squinting slightly at the bright red chains that glowed with a fluctuating mist. The chains were holding the debris up off of them all, shaking slightly under the weight of the rubble, but maintaining their grip nonetheless. Luna traced her gaze over a chain, following it all the way back to the lithe body that stood, back flat against the rubble himself and arms trembling as he held up the weight upon him.

“Prompto!”

She stumbled, grimacing as pain flared up in her left ankle. She crawled over and cupped his face, hesitantly looking into his deep, ruby red eyes. 

“Prompto?”

The glistening, crimson chains shivered where they met his spine, vibrating quickly as Luna listened for some kind of response to her presence. Hisses bubbled out from the rattling joints of the chains as dark Scourge dripped from Prompto's mouth.

His eyes flicked to meet hers, recognition dawning in them, but apart from that there was no response. Luna pursed her lips as her face blanched. She whipped back around to meet the King’s eyes, wide with horror.

“Shit.” Nyx cursed from where he sat up on elbows, eyes fixated on Prompto.

The rubble groaned and shifted unsteadily; Luna’s eyes flew open in alarm.

“We have to get out of here.” Clarus grunted, turning away from Prompto to the wall of debris.

“What about Prompto?” She asked hesitantly.

No one responded out loud, but their grimaces, frowns, and collective silence were enough answer for her. When she had tried to heal him earlier, she had seen. She had felt it; he wasn’t entirely human. And right now he was trapped under the weight of the Citadel. They didn’t know how to help him, she didn’t know how to help him, and wasn’t that just ironic? Her duty, to help and heal the people of Eos, and she couldn’t even save one person.

No, she wouldn’t accept it.

“We can’t leave him.”

Her commanding tone drew all attention to her, all looking at her with sorrowful eyes but no, she wouldn’t accept this. She would not let him die like this.

“Luna-”

“We’re taking him with us.” She ordered, knowing that she was being unreasonable, that this was hurting them just as much as it was hurting her, but she couldn’t bear it. She had heard so much about Prompto, how lively he was, how sweet, how caring; she wasn’t just going to leave him.

Cor went to speak when suddenly one of the chains sped past Luna’s head, accidentally delivering a shallow cut to her cheek, before slamming into a pile of debris near Regis. The debris went flying back and for one terrifying moment, everything shifted, groaning like an old house on a stormy night. All of them sat still as they waited for peace, for a sign, and when only silence and stillness came they turned back to Prompto who threw them a wobbly but responsive smile.

“Open sesame?” He croaked, the small voice drawing a smile on Luna’s face before she turned back to the others, defiantly holding her chin up.

“We’re taking him with us.” She repeated and they all nodded, all washed with relief and exhausted smiles.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Clarus led Regis out of the dilapidated cavern first, sword drawn and checking for danger before nodding, concluding that it was all clear and extending a hand to help Regis to his feet.

Regis looked around and held back the bile that rose in his throat. Staff and guards, glaives and dignitaries, all laid dead around him. Bodies twisted and broken, blood oozing and eyes rolling, staring into something beyond his comprehension. He pulled his gaze away and to the end of the corridor, he just had to focus on getting out.

And getting Prompto help.

He grimaced and rubbed his temples.

He should’ve just let Prompto accompany Noctis to the wedding, then he wouldn’t have gotten hurt. He wouldn’t be bleeding and holding up what must be the weight of the entire Citadel at this point. Prompto would’ve been happily taking pictures if he’d just…

Regis shook himself out of his inner monologue and hardened his gaze. He couldn’t do much about that now, he just had to look out for him. He had to get him to safety.

Next out of the rubble came Cor and Luna, the latter stumbling and wincing whenever she placed weight on her left leg. She met Regis’ frown with a reassuring smile.

“I’m fine.”

“I believe that’s what Prompto said.” Luna frowned at that as both turned to look back to the debris.

“You ready Ulric?”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“You ready Ulric?”

Nyx tightened his grip around Prompto’s waist and drew his kukris.

“Yeah.” He called out to Clarus before turning to Prompto, dropping his face into the blond’s line of vision and capturing the attention of his pulsing red eyes.

“You ready?”

His only response was a weak nod; it was the only response he needed. He drew Prompto closer, pressing him to his chest before throwing his kukris with a practised twist of his wrist. A flash of blue light and the speeding of the scenery around them led them to the outside of the rubble, red chains trailing limply behind Prompto as they went, turning the usually blue light stream purple.

The pair skidded on the floor, Nyx hugging Prompto tightly, trying to prevent him from being injured any further, as the temporary shelter collapsed, rumbling and clattering loudly to the ground.

Nyx heaved a sigh of relief before sitting up, frowning at how Prompto laid against his chest weakly.

“Hey.” 

He shook Prompto gently but received no response. He pushed on Prompto’s shoulder and felt alarm run rampant in his head as he watched the blond’s head loll backwards, eyes closed. Nyx turned to the others, eyes flashing with concern.

The others all responded in equal measures of worry but there was no time to say anything.

A roar erupted from outside; angry and primal. All six of them leaped into action, Clarus helping Regis run as fast as he could as Cor slung one of Luna’s arms of his shoulder. Nyx picked Prompto up and held him in his arms as they raced out of the hall and out of the Citadel.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The fading afternoon light collided with the group's tired eyes as they looked around frantically.

“This way!” Cor shouted over the screams of daemons and tin-soldiers being crushed. They all followed without question, eyes flicking everywhere as they took in all the horror. The crushed buildings, the fires that were spilling onto the streets, the pools of civilian blood.

They ducked inside the vehicle bay and stopped in by the entrance.

“We got keys?!” Nyx asked as groans and beastly shrieks erupted more closely around them; Cor fumbled in his pocket before throwing a key to Nyx. Regis drew out a key card from one of his pockets and handed it to Clarus.

“Get to your car!” Clarus ordered.

Nyx pressed the key and cursed as he noticed a car light up in response; a car that was far away from him.

“I’ll go with you.” Luna suddenly appeared by his side and he looked to where he thought Cor would be standing with a disapproving frown, but only saw the Marshall waving at him.

“Hurry up Ulric!”

Nyx handed the key to Luna before taking off towards the car with the Princess hobbling after him. He ripped open one of the doors and laid Prompto in the backseat before taking the key off Luna.

“Get in!”

She hopped in next to Prompto and slammed the door shut as Nyx sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine. The car whirred to life and Nyx reversed haphazardly, screaming for the entrance after the King’s car.

The King’s car was waiting for them and let them pass before following, both vehicles driving as fast as they could; swerving around rampant daemons, down streets and up onto the highway. Nyx squinted through the flashes of sunlight as buildings of glass fell down around them and Magitek engines flew overhead. He pressed the pedal to the floor of the car and gripped the wheel tightly, barely maintaining control as the wheels cried against the asphalt.

“What’s that?!” Luna exclaimed, gripping the back of Nyx’s seat and pointing ahead.

“Shit.” Nyx swore as he saw the figure, “You think it’s a civilian?”

Luna frowned, squinting through the windscreen before recoiling in horror and shock, like she’d been slapped.

“General Glauca.”

“What?”

“That’s General Glauca!” Luna squeaked, hands shaking as she kept her gaze trained on the Nifleheim General, “He was the one to kidnap me! He chased us to the elevator!”

Nyx glanced at her in shock before quickly drawing his gaze back to the figure that stood in the centre of the road. Shit, it was too late to turn around now. 

“What do we do?” Luna asked.

In answer to her question one of Prompto’s glowing red chains shot itself through the windscreen, sending the panel of glass flying. The chain arced through the air ahead of the car and slammed into General Glauca, knocking him over and sending him skidding across the ground.

Luna turned back to Prompto as the chain retracted quickly back into the car, giving the blond boy whiplash.

“Ow.” Prompto gurgled out before falling unconscious again.

Nyx pressed on the pedal once more, sending the car flying forward.

“Hold on!”

“What are you-?!” Luna was cut off as the car raced onwards with a vicious screech before slamming into the General, sending him flying over the car and into a pile of rubble. Silence fell over the conscious pair in the car as they froze in shock at what had just transpired.

“Did you...correct me if I’m wrong, but did you just run over the General of the Nifleheim army?”

Nyx glanced at her with wide eyes before a shaky smirk stretched itself over his face.

“I think so.”

Luna looked at him, about to say something witty and intelligent in response when Prompto groaned in the backseat. She let go of Nyx’s seat and sat back, pulling Prompto’s head onto her lap and running her fingers through his hair, scrunching her face up in concentration as she tried to find someway to heal at least one of his injuries.

Nyx drove on, dodging obstacles and making his way of the Crown City into the open and barren lands of the space beyond with the King’s car following close behind.


	4. Shack In The Storm

The biting and pulling of the choir tugging him down further, drowning him in the Scourge, was unbearable. Tears spilled out of his eyes as boney, porcelain fingers ripped at his sockets. Hands ran through his hair, pulling roughly and scratching at his scalp. The cold atmosphere bit at his exposed skin and tore at his clothes, leaving him feeling vulnerable and scared.

He didn’t want this.

Where was he going? 

He’d just wanted to help Regis.

He’d just wanted to help Noct.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Luna removed her fingers from Prompto’s hair as Cor pulled the flashlight away from the boy’s eyes, allowing his eyelids to slip shut.

“Nothing?” Nyx asked from where he sat by the weathered door.

Cor shook his head and looked to Luna.

“I’ll keep trying.”

“Don’t push yourself your Highness, it’s not just Prompto that needs you. All of Eos needs you too.” And with that Cor tucked the flashlight into his pocket and walked out of the room, leaving Luna and Nyx in uneasy silence while Prompto slept.

The arid, powerful winds ruined the ancient shack from outside and Nyx couldn’t help but wonder how the place was still standing. Window-panes rattled and the few, dried up plants that had managed to creep inside, had their leaves blown off. The small, sun baked pieces of flora littering the floor as Nyx stood up and, with one final glance to the blond duo, left the room.

The small shack they’d found had been an absolute blessing. It must’ve been someone’s old hunting cabin before the place had become overrun with daemons (that had been fun to deal with on the way inside); there were plenty of bedrooms, a nice lounge, a somewhat operational bathroom and even some simple supplies kept in the kitchen. 

However, the place was old, weathered, and hardly structurally sound; a fact that resurfaced as Nyx walked downstairs, hearing and feeling each step creak and cave slightly under his feet. The small shack was also, as previously stated, surrounded by daemons. Dust storms too. A particularly ferocious wind slammed into the side of the house and Nyx could’ve sworn he saw the wall bend under the sheer weight of the gale-force winds from outside their doorstep.

Nyx turned into the kitchen, back straightening as he entered his Majesty’s presence.

“King Regis,” The other three in the room turned to him, “What...what was that? Back in the Citadel?”

“With Prompto?” Nyx nodded steadily and the King sighed, sagging back into his chair and gesturing for Nyx to take up the spare one across from him.

“Prompto Argentum is...a refugee from Nifleheim. He confessed his abilities to me when it was declared Nifleheim and Lucis would sign the treaty.” Clarus shifted uneasily as they all recalled the treaty and its ultimate failure. It was silent for a moment longer before Regis cleared his voice and continued.

“Prompto stated that he could detect the Empire’s MTs and various technological weaponry, he said it was a result of...experimentation.”

“Experimentation?” Cor frowned.

“I’m afraid I was not told more, for the sake of the boy’s privacy.” Regis concluded solemnly as he drew away from the conversation and turned to look out the windows, hand rubbing over his weakened knee.

“So he was, what, a lab rat?” Clarus grunted, leaning back and crossing his arms.

“What would he even be a lab rat for?” Nyx muttered.

The four sat in relative silence as the wind howled through the loose boards and falling window-panes, scattering dust and dirt in its wake.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

His back hurt so much. Throbbing and screaming in agony, receding into quiet lulls of peace before hitting him full force as if he’d been thrown into a wall. The cycle never ended. It was just constant bouts of pain and feared peace; shaking and scared of when the silence would fade and the choir would rise up again as a hulking black swell that would drown him.

He was scared.

Everything hurt so much as he stood in the eye of his storm. His head was ringing, his ears pounding, his eyes were stinging as he desperately tried to find more tears to cry. His throat felt raw from screaming into the roaring silence that swallowed all sounds he made and left his ears popping as if he’d just taken a train through a tunnel.

It hurt so much.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Luna woke with a start as someone gently shook her conscious. She rose her head wearily and met Clarus’ concerned, furrowed eyes.

“Take a rest Princess, we’ll have Nyx watch over him.”

She looked up to see Nyx already sitting on the other side of the bed, head turning away from the grimy window to nod reassuringly at her.

“But I-”

“Princess, please. You need rest.”

Luna wanted to argue, to say that it didn’t matter, but she knew it did. How on Eos could she help Prompto if she couldn’t even help herself? She moved slowly, rising from the chair and navigating her way out of the room, crestfallen as she left.

She sat down in one of the other bedrooms and curled her hands into fists on her knees. She wanted to do more, to help more, but she didn’t know how. She didn’t know where to begin or what to say to get her feelings across.

She felt powerless.

Luna bit her lip and scrunched up her eyes. She needed rest; she would feel better once she slept. She laid down gingerly on the old bed and moth-bitten sheets, curling up into a tight ball and squeezing her eyes shut as another strong gust rattled the glass window beside her.

She just needed some sleep.


	5. Tender and New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE SCAB

“I still don’t understand why I am not allowed to join you.”

Cor looked at Clarus, pleading with his exhausted eyes, as the Princess stood behind them, arms crossed and frowning.

“We’ve already told you-”

“Then tell me again, please.”

Clarus turned to the Princess, the same stern frown on his face that he wore whenever he lectured Iris (Gods, was she okay? Was his little girl alive?). Luna stood up straighter and stuck her chin out defiantly. Clarus had to admit he was impressed, the girl was definitely strong.

“You and the King are royalty. We can’t risk you getting injured, we’re barely helping Prompto at the moment and if you two were to get injured we wouldn’t be able to heal you.”

“I can heal anyone just fine.” Luna retorted.

Nyx smirked and Clarus glared at him, the smirk immediately wilting as Nyx took a sudden interest in a dent on the wooden wall.

“We can’t risk it. We’ll be back before you know it.”

“Oh by all means, don’t keep me waiting.”

Nyx snickered and Clarus couldn’t help but smirk slightly. The Princess frowned in confusion but before she could say anything else, the Shield had walked outside. Cor and Nyx followed quickly, the Marshall casting an uneasy glance back at the King and the Oracle.

“Stay safe. Stay indoors.”

And with that they were gone, solid figures turning to vague and distant as the dust surrounded them, leaving Luna alone with the King. She turned around with a frustrated huff and rang her hands out.

“I wish they would trust me more.” She stated as she sat down next to Regis.

“You’ll have to forgive Clarus, he’s a bit...stubborn.” Luna smiled softly before turning her gaze to the stairs.

“He’ll...be alright, won’t he?”

Regis reached over and gently held her hand.

“Of course he will.”

Luna turned and gazed at the King with grateful eyes, finding it funny how he held more faith than her.

“Luna, my dear,” The King’s gaze turned sorrowful and his grip on her hands tightened, “I’m so sorry, about that day in Tenebrae. I shou-”

“Please, King Regis-”

“Just Regis.” Luna smiled at Regis before turning determined once more.

“That day was not your fault. It was none of our faults, it simply...happened. And what has happened, has happened. We cannot change that. Besides, I am grateful to you, if you had not grabbed my hand and taken me as far as you had, I do not know if I would have survived.”

“But Sylva-” Regis began again with eyes as mournful as a Beagle’s.

“My mother is dead. If it hadn’t happened then, it would’ve happened later. She would still be dead. It is not your fault.”

Regis nodded slowly, drawing his hands away and massaging his knee.

“Thank you.”

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Luna stood in front of the bathroom mirror and frowned. She wasn’t one for inspecting her physical features like this, with such scrutiny, but even she couldn’t deny the grime and filth that coated her face.

Flecks of blood lined her face and she grimaced as she realised the picking at them wasn’t enough to clean them off. She twisted the knobs to the tap and jolted as she realised she pulled the knob straight off; she panicked, flitting about and hurriedly trying to stop the water from gushing out before it flooded the small bathroom.

She shoved the cap back onto the knob and twisted and, miraculously, it worked.

“See Nyx? Not all miracles need magic.” She smirked to herself before pulling a face of disgust as she noticed the putrid brown hue of the water that lingered in the sink, eventually allowing itself to be swallowed down the drain with a horrendous burp.

Luna took a step away from the sink and hovered in the center of the room, slowly returning her attention back to her reflection in the mirror.

The cut on her cheek was just as filthy as the rest of her; she really hoped it wasn’t getting infected. Well...she could always…

She looked at her hand and concentrated, calling forth a gentle, golden light in her palm. It hovered, and lingered, melting and dancing over her fingers before she snapped her hand shut and it diminished.

No, the others, Clarus, Cor and Nyx...if they were to get injured, they would need her healing more.

Anyways, it was starting to scab over at the edges, she just had to be patient. If anything, Prompto was the one that needed her healing more...once she figured how exactly.

Luna froze, her head jolting upwards to meet her shocked reflection.

The scab, the way the dark liquid had been crawling up Prompto’s and hardened over as she’d tried to do something, anything.

The scab.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Regis raised his surprised eyes to the ceiling as he heard frantic footsteps burst forth from where the bathroom must be and run over the landing.

“Regis! I need your help please!” Luna called out.

He frowned at the distress in her voice but hopped up as quickly as he could and hobbled up the stairs. He tried to take them two at a time but his knee screamed in protest, he could feel the Ring digging into him, cutting at his soft, aged flesh. He could feel the pricks of the men calling forth their weapons in battle.

Stay safe, he thought, I’ll man the home front.

He limped into Prompto’s room and froze in horror.

The Princess was stood by the bed of his son’s best friend, tearing at the black Scourge that was encasing most of the boy’s left side, curling up and forming a morbid crown over his forehead. Her hands ripped into the dark, hardened goo and tore it away from his flesh, a rancid odour filling the room as she did. 

“Luna, what are you doing?!”

She barely spared him a glance before wrenching another layer of Scourge away from Prompto’s side. She opened her mouth to reply when a yelp fell out instead, her hands retracting quickly from their job and she waved them vigorously.

Regis stumbled into the room and gestured for her to show her hands. She held them out and Regis frowned. She was lucky not to have been more severely burnt.

“It’s like a scab Regis, it’s healing him...I think.” Luna explained before reaching out to continue her job, the Scourge bubbling and hissing at the exposed area, singing Prompto’s tender, pink flesh. 

Regis grabbed her hand and summoned his sword with his free one.

“Stand back.”

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Clarus pushed the door to the shack open wearily as Cor and Nyx dragged the deceased daemon onto the porch behind them. He looked around, too absorbed in his own thoughts for a single moment before a foul stench made him retch and cover his mouth and nose.

“Ugh, what is that?”

Clarus turned to see Nyx and Cor mirroring his earlier actions and frowned, turning back into the cabin.

“Regis?” He called out.

“Upstairs Clarus.” Came the response.

The three men ditched the daemon and wandered indoors, all slowing as the reached the top of the stairs, the foul smell becoming more pungent and revolting.

“Regis? What the hell-” Clarus cut himself off he laid eyes on the scene inside Prompto’s bedroom.

The dark liquid that had previously encased Prompto’s left side was now scattered in oozing, pulsing pieces on the floor which melted and burnt at the contact. The King sat on the bed, hands and chin resting on his sword which was stuck firmly into the ground, covered in dark liquid, as was the King’s face. 

Splashes decorated his clothes, dirtying the crest of the Lucian household and bloodline. But at least he was cleaner than the Princess.

Luna turned to regard the men as they came into the room, Scourge forming a thin layer of crust in her fringe and on her brow as though she had wiped away gathering sweat. Her hands weren’t too bad, although flecks of darkness remained against her somewhat burnt flesh. Her clothes had the dark liquid wiped all over them, by her waist and on her chest, like she’d tried to clean her hands.

The pair, no matter how increasingly filthy they’d become in the time Cor, Clarus and Nyx had been gone, brightened upon noticing their return.

“Perfect timing!” Luna beamed and gestured vaguely to the remaining pieces of melting of goo on the floor as Regis simply swung his head wearily down to his chest.

“Perfect timing for...what?” Cor asked in a nasally voice as he pinched his nostrils together tightly.

“The King and I are rather tired from our hard work, we were hoping you would be able to dispose of all,” She gestured again to the littered floor, “this.”

“This?” Nyx asked, pointing at a particular piece that had just bubbled and hissed before somewhat ‘popping’ and leaking something looking remarkably similar to pus.

“Yes. That.” 

Luna turned away from them, dismissing them as she knelt by Prompto’s side and called forth a golden light to her hands, allowing it to dance briefly before pressing it into Prompto’s newly formed flesh.

The boy winced in his sleep, a pained frown carving itself onto his face and Luna hushed him softly. Regis stood and turned to the three baffled men.

“If you would be so kind.” He added onto the Luna’s words before exiting the room and making his way slowly down the stairs, his sword vanishing in burst of blue light.

“Are you kidding me?” Nyx groaned.

Cor huffed and Clarus sighed.

“Let’s get it over with.”

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

“Camping? Again?”

“What? You got a problem with camping?” Gladio snapped back teasingly at Noct’s groan. The Prince glared at him childishly before flopping to the forest floor and leaning against a tree.

“Wake me up when it’s dinner.” He mumbled.

A hand slapped him over the head and he turned with a petulant scowl to Ignis.

“Or, perhaps you could help me prepare dinner?” 

Noct groaned, rolling his head away from Ignis and crossing his arms.

“We having cup noodles Iggy?” Gladio asked from where he sat, setting up the tent.

“Heavens no, we’re having a proper, nutritious meal, not that garbage you slurp down like a behemoth dying of starvation.”

“Hey!”

“Guys, trying to nap here.” Noct chided before being hit in the head again.

“Ow! Ignis!”

“Up. Now.” The advisor commanded before walking off to help set up a work station.

“I thought I was the one in charge here.” Noct grumbled.

“Ha, we just let you think that.” Gladio laughed and Noct threw a small rock at his Shield’s back which only caused the man to laugh more loudly.

Noct stood and looked to the setting sun in the horizon, not long now. He’d be married, and all this would be behind him. Then he’d get to go home and see his Dad and Prompto again. He grinned and walked up to Ignis, feeling a bit more awake than he had before.

“What are we having?”

“Chilli con carne.” Ignis turned at the silence and frowned at Noct’s childish face of disgust.

“What?” 

Noct frowned and crossed his arms again, sticking his tongue before groaning.

“Beaaaaaaannnnsssss.”


	6. Turning of the Tide

Noct flipped through this messages slowly, eyes glazing over as he took in the now familiar image of Prompto’s selfie. He’d been on the balcony of his room in the Citadel, broadly smiling and gesturing to the view as the wisterias danced in the breeze of the sunset behind him.

That had been sent almost a week ago.

The morning of the signing.

He hadn’t heard much from Prompto since then, just stone-cold silence. Noct frowned at the dumb (read:cute) emoticons that Prompto had spammed him at 3am the day he’d left. Hadn’t he said he’d send a pic everyday? Noct huffed a frustrated puff of air and rolled onto his stomach, hugging his pillow.

Prompto was bubbly and all over the place, kind and easily distracted. Noct’s heart ached at the recall of his friend walking away from him and up the steps into the Citadel. Prompto was just busy. He’d text Noct later.

Noct still hesitated, his thumb hovering over the touch screen before hurriedly typing out a simple message. He pressed send, threw his phone behind his pillow and flopped face first back down into sleep.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cor sat down and rolled his cup around on the table, watching the water slosh rhythmically inside. Everyone was anxious, tensions were as high as Prompto’s temperature upstairs. Cor frowned and raised his head slightly, tilting it to the side to see if he could somehow hear Lunafreya’s magic at work.

“Everything alright Marshall?”

Cor turned his stern gaze to Nyx and grunted, finally stopping the smooth movements of wrist to sip at his drink. It tasted like shit.

“It seems Prompto is steadily recovering.” Regis spoke up, his wise voice cracking and rasping, dry lips craving for clean water.

“That mean we can get a move on?” Clarus asked gruffly.

“To where?”

They all turned to Cor as he took another soft sip of the filthy water.

“We don’t exactly have a plan.” He pointed out, “The main thing we’re focusing on is Prompto; what do we do once he’s all better?”

Silence fell heavy over all of them, faces grim as they tried to see a suitable path for their futures. Their kingdom fallen, their people dead. Revenge seemed like the most obvious option, but where would they even start?

“Maybe we should find Noctis.” Regis suggested and no one could really blame him for thinking of his son, all wearily nodding at his option.

“Okay, have we got any way of contacting him?” Regis stiffened.

“Ah.”

Cor pinched his nose, leaning his elbow onto the table in exasperation.

“No one knows his number, do they?”

Silence was his only response.

“Aren’t you his father?”

“I received updates on Noctis’ life either through Ignis or face-to-face, Clarus.” Regis replied haughtily.

“It’s not like we’ve got our phones on us either.” Nyx added which Regis agreed with in the form of a wise nod.

“Right, so how do we find him exactly?”

Another uncomfortable silence as everyone stressed their minds to find an answer.

“Perhaps you could accompany me to Altissia?”

The four men turned to see Luna standing in the archway to the kitchen, Clarus lifted himself away from the wall and stood straight, nodding his head slightly as she entered with cautious footsteps, restlessly fiddling with her fingers.

“I will be journeying to form covenants with the Astrals in order to aid Noctis. It is time for the Prophecy to come to pass.”

Cor was pretty sure that everyone’s eyes were about to pop out of their sockets at that and it seemed Luna was aware of this now; blustering with her hands as she hastily tried to assure them of whatever she could.

“I must stand by Noctis and support him, however I can. In order to help him I will need to form the covenants with the Astrals but...it will be a lonesome journey and with the Empire being...most likely...reluctant to cooperate, I would appreciate the extra assistance if I were to...run into trouble.”

Regis smirked warmly and walked towards Luna.

“We would be honoured to accompany you.”

Luna visibly brightened and turned to regard each of them. When she turned her soulful eyes to Cor, the Immortal simply raised his glass in response, not even bothering to take another sip. Instead he, turned and dumped the remnants into the sink.

“The honour would be all mine.” Luna addressed to everyone before flitting her gaze at the ceiling and smiling somewhat nervously.

“Prompto’s fever should be breaking soon, if my healing has worked.”

“That is good news. We should prepare to depart.” Regis turned to Cor who stood up, taking his silent orders with an equally silent nod. Clarus moved as well, cracking his fingers and stretching his arms.

“Right, let’s start packing.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The choir was swelling again, all bulging red eyes and scraping, ragged fingernails at his face and he was so tired. It was so hot and cold at the same time, the temperature changing rapidly and leaving him feeling like he was standing in the middle of a humid, dusty storm, where the raindrops were more dirt than water.

He let himself roll in the churning waves, let himself be swallowed by the hulking mass of darkness and repeated the ancient words in his head. Rolling them over on his tongue like marbles in his palm.

It always gets worse before it gets better.

Prompto held his breath, swallowed all oxygen he had left in his lungs and turned with the thundering water. The ringing in his ears swelled and popped and for one terrifying moment, he couldn’t hear anything at all.

The rough hands that once pulled his short locks now ran through them, in soothing, mesmerising patterns. Stroking his head softly as he furrowed his brows in pain. The choir gave one final scream before collapsing in exhaustion, quivering in the back of his mind with ragged, raspy breaths. He turned from it to the warmth that was radiating somewhere to his left.

He turned his head, rolling over, forming his own wave.

And he woke up.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The first thing he registered was the harsh lighting coming through an unseen window, positioned somewhere in front of him, its light welcomed and rejected in his sleepy state. He squinted as he registered the second thing. He hurt, a lot, all over his left side, which made him grateful that he was lying on his right side.

The third thing he registered was the hand. The hand was in his hair, moving slowly and gently, caressing his head with such a warm touch that Prompto was thrown back to a couch in Noct’s apartment where the movie they’d watched had made him sad. He was thrown back to a cell in Zegnautus where a beautiful blonde lady had stroked his head until he fell asleep. A lady too beautiful for a place like Zegnautus.

The hand moved back to his forehead and began it’s wonderful rhythm of peace all over again. Prompto huffed out a happy puff of air and snuggled into the musty pillow that lay under his head.

“You...awake?”

Prompto probably should’ve felt uncomfortable with the fact that there was a strange voice emanating from a strange person beside him, but he hurt so much and their hand felt so nice in his hair.

He felt his eyes flutter open and he stared up at the shadowed figure in front of the window, he couldn’t see them properly and was about to say something when they moved and...holy Eos and her stars above. He’d just woken up. He was not ready for a gay crisis.

The man beside him was beautiful and hot and stunning and everything Prompto was not ready to see this morning (was it morning?). He had a tattoo under his left eye and one on his ear, his hair long with two matching braids, one behind each ear. He looked like he hadn’t had a shower in days despite the fact he needed one and he looked completely wrecked, like life had thrown every low blow it had available and he had taken it in his fucking stride. And his hand was still in Prompto’s hair.

Prompto was pretty sure his face was on fire but maybe the other guy couldn’t see, or maybe he was just being polite.

“Um...yeah.” Prompto croaked out, frowning at how stale his voice tasted in his mouth.

The stranger...man...attractive dude...centre of Prompto’s most recent gay crisis (oh who was he kidding, Noct gave him a gay crisis every day of his life) finally removed his hand from Prompto’s dirty, blond hair, leaving Prompto to bite back a whine at the loss of contact and ultimately feeling ashamed of that almost whine.

“You feeling okay? I can get Luna in here if you need.” They offered in a gentle, husky voice and Prompto was just about sure he lost his freaking mind.

“Luna? Um, ah, no I’ll be good.” Prompto stumbled, pushing himself up onto his elbows and gasping as pain flared up all along his left side.

“Take it easy.” They warned him, rising to their feet and helping him sit up slowly, frowning at each little wince Prompto allowed to cross his tired face.

“Yeah, um, who are you?”

They huffed out a soft laugh and resumed their spot on the old, wicker chair by his bed.

“Nyx. Nyx Ulric, I don’t know if you remember much, but back in the Citadel-”

“You got me out of the rubble. Right?” Prompto frowned as he pulled the memory forth, the strong arm that had been wrapped around him and the nauseating warp that had him seeing stars and eventually drowning in the night sky.

“Yeah, that was me.”

“Thanks.” Prompto breathed and the man, Nyx, smiled at him.

“Least I could do.”

It was quiet for a bit, but for once it wasn’t an awkward silence like Prompto had been expecting. It was comfortable, it was nice to have Nyx sitting by his side, simply in being. Simply breathing and sitting and being hot and gorgeous and Prompto could not comprehend how lucky he was.

A soft knock at the door turned his attention away from Nyx’s beautiful profile and impending doom of the second wave of his gay crisis, now he looked at Lady Lunafreya who stood elegantly in his doorway, somehow looking like the living definition of perfection even while her dress was ripped to shreds and covered in this weird, dried up black liquid? What was - oh. Oooooohhhhhh.

“L-Lady Lunafreya, I’m so sorry!” He squeaked. Luna raised her eyebrows in surprise and smiled softly as she moved into the room.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Y-Your dress, that black, uh...black stuff. It’s my fault, right?” He began hesitantly. Luna looked down at her dress and giggled. Honest to Eos, giggled.

“It’s not your fault no, I was simply...too lazy to utilise the nearest sink.”

“Oh.” Prompto’s eyes dropped as the single syllable fell from his mouth.

“That, and the water here is filthy.” She whispered like it was some sort of secret between the two of them. Prompto blushed at the cheeky glint in her eye and she giggled again. Luna went to speak again but three more figures entered the room. Prompto straightened rapidly, feeling his spine click and ripple uncomfortably as he did.

“I trust you are feeling better Prompto?” King Regis asked and the blond gave a small, timid nod in response.

“Good, we’ve been stuck here a while. Best to get going while we can.” Clarus stated gruffly, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

“Where...are we?” Prompto asked.

“Some shack we found, it’s surrounded by daemons.” Nyx answered him.

“Which isn’t good.” Regis added.

“Obviously.” Cor grunted.

Prompto stared at the hands that he balled up in his lap and chewed on his bottom lip.

“So...what next?” He asked.

“We decided to travel with Luna, it is high time that covenants were forged between the Astrals and the Oracle.” Regis said.

“For the Chosen King.” Luna supplied gently, King Regis nodded somewhat solemnly in response and turned his gaze to the window where he looked into the dust storm brewing outside.

“So um, you guys will be heading off now?” Prompto asked. 

Luna reached out and gently held his sore left arm, hands softly running over his newly formed skin with great care.

“With you too, I hope.”

Prompto whipped around to face her, Luna’s eyed widening comically at the sudden movement.

“You-you want me to join you?” 

“Of course; unless you have prior engagements?” His Majesty challenged with a teasing lilt to his voice that had Prompto relaxing a bit more.

The only thing he could really think of being important at the moment, was meeting up with Noct, Iggy and Gladio, and helping them out with whatever shitshow they were dealing with at the current point of time. But if he travelled with Luna and King Regis, then he knew he would meet up with Noct again. For sure.

“I mean, if you guys really want.”

Luna gripped his arm a little more tightly, her smile becoming just that bit more genuine with joyful emotion.

“I insist.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct felt his stomach drop, his brain plummet all the way from cloud nine to fucking rock bottom in five seconds flat. They’d just earned some good money, they’d just booked a motel room and found a cosy cafe to eat at. Something that served food all nice and greasy, much to Iggy’s dismay. But it didn’t matter now. He didn’t want food now. Didn’t even want a comfy bed to sleep in. The broadcaster spoke once more over the dim radio.

“A sad day for Eos definitely at the loss of King Regis and the Princess Lunafreya-”

The radio cut out, fading in and out of static. Noct picked up words, dates, deaths. He didn’t want to hear this. No, this...this had to be some sick joke, right? Some fucked up bastard thinking this was funny, messing with the Prince of Lucis. It couldn’t be.

Luna couldn’t be dead, his dad too, they had to be alive. They...he wouldn’t accept this. They wouldn’t just leave him like this, they were alive they had to be. But what if they weren’t? Lying dead in the rubble of the Citadel, blood pooling around them. Oh Gods, he couldn’t breathe.

But what about Prompto?

He felt himself grow cold, his eyes blowing up wide at the memory, at how he’d simply brushed off the prickling sensation of Prompto summoning his gun.

That hadn’t been last minute training.

That had been war.

He remembered flicking through his last messages to Prompto, seeing the last picture Prompto had sent that morning of the signing. Had that been...the last picture? Oh Gods, he was going to throw up, he was going to hurl in the middle of the fucking diner.

He was vaguely aware of Gladio slamming the table and storming out of the diner as Ignis sat completely frozen next to him. Noct hunched over his food hands balling up and grinding down on the bones of his fingers tightly.

Dad.

Luna.

Prompto.

He scrunched up his eyes and bit back a sob.

No.


	7. Hammerhead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of clothing descriptions in this one so sorry if that kinda thing bores you but hey, they got changed out of them filthy, tattered clothes they were wearing and HEY PROMPTO IS NO LONGER COVERED IN BLACK GOO (but he could do with a bath, they all could really, no offence guys but you stink (they really do))

Prompto looked out the back window as the scenery flew by; arid, deserted plains with dead trees and daemons in the distance. As long as Nyx didn’t stop driving, they’d be fine. Speaking of beautiful people…

Prompto glanced at Luna who sat to his left in the back seat, idly glancing out the window like he had been, watching the landscape with a solemn fondness that Prompto couldn’t quite place. She turned to him, as if she had sensed his eyes on her with some kind of magical Oracle power, and she gave him a small, polite smile.

He smiled back, albeit a little shakily, and turned to Nyx, feeling Luna’s quiet gaze on him as he leant forward to grab the older man’s attention.

“So…” He started, the syllable drawn out and dropping in volume.

“Yes?” Nyx smirked (oh Gods, he smirked, oh Prompto wanted to be stabbed in the fucking FACE), drawing the syllable out like Prompto had but made the tone rise in question.

“...Are we there yet?” 

He heard Luna huff out a small, amused, absolutely precious laugh, from behind him as Nyx rolled his eyes.

“No.”

“So, how much longer do ya think?” Prompto asked, only SLIGHTLY desperate to keep a conversation with this walking masterpiece.

“Hmm, shouldn’t be too far now.”

“Great, next question.”

“And that would be?” Nyx smiled, glancing out of the corner of his eye to meet Prompto’s playful blue and violet ones.

“Where are we headed?”

Nyx sighed dejectedly, but before he could respond, Prompto was pulled back into the backseat with a gentle tug on his torn up sleeve. Prompto turned to Luna who looked at him with deep, understanding eyes and sat up straighter, ready to explain.

“We’re headed to Hammerhead, Regis said that he has an old friend there who might be able to help us out.”

“Old friend?”

“Yes, his name is Cid Sophiar.”

“Oh, I remember hearing the name.” Prompto lit up excitedly, Luna felt an eager smile spread across her face, trying desperately to mirror Prompto’s own like his happiness was some kind of infection.

“You probably picked it up from Regis’ explanation.”

“Mm, probably.” The blond agreed and settled back into his seat, ignoring the seatbelt which Luna noted with concern.

“So, we’ve got some time to kill.” He stated simply.

“I suppose we do.”

There was a somewhat uncomfortable silence in the car for a short while until Prompto’s bubbly personality burst forth once more and filled the quiet space again.

“So…” Prompto trailed off. Luna quirked an eyebrow at him quizzically.

“Wanna play ‘I Spy’?”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis hopped out of the car with Clarus’ help and turned around to see Nyx pull in with the other Lucian model behind them, parking alongside them in front of the garage. He watched as Nyx exited with Luna and Prompto clambering out of the car with him, the latter clutching his left side awkwardly and wincing as he rose and stumbled around the back of the car to meet the other three.

“You have a fun drive, your Majesty?” He smiled limply. Regis took a step towards him and stumbled, Prompto darted forward and caught him, the pair leaning on each other. Regis shot him a grateful smile and helped the blond stand steadily.

“Thank you Prompto.”

“Anytime, your Majesty.”

“Please,” Regis sighed sadly as Clarus and Cor held small conversation with Nyx and Luna, “just Regis, I hardly feel like I deserve the mantle of ‘King’ anymore.”

“You’re still my King.” Prompto pouted.

“Well y’ain’t mine.” Announced a gruff voice.

Regis looked up, ignoring Prompto’s concerned frown, and taking in the aged face of an old companion. He still had that damn cap on his head, now all worn and weathered. His face carried new wrinkles and it looked like it was painful for him to stand up completely straight, but he was still, inherently the same. 

And he was mad.

“Cid, it’s good to see you.” He began tentatively, also very much aware of Cor and Clarus shaking their heads in exasperation.

Cid, on the other hand, tightened his jaw and marched forward, a vein popping angrily on his temple. Oh boy. Regis pushed Prompto away from him when Cid showed no sign of stopping. This wasn’t going to be good.

“Cid-” The old mechanic raised his hand and clocked Regis square in the jaw, leaving the King stumbling backwards. Prompto reappeared and steadied him, barely holding himself back from throwing a dirty glare at the other man as Clarus and Cor simply sighed tiredly at the scene.

“Don’t you ‘Cid’ me, Caelum, been how long since I heard from ya? Not even a freaking letter. Get inside before you dirty the driveway.” Cid grunted, spinning around and hobbling into the garage.

Prompto threw Regis a concerned look.

“Old friend; it’s fine Prompto.”

And with that the group followed Cid inside.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Just had to wait until yer city fell to visit, didn’t ya?” Cid chided as he angrily patched up Clarus’ wounded arm. Regis tenderly felt his jaw and was relieved to see the Elixir had done its work.

“I had prior engagements Cid.”

“Sure.” Came the gruff reply and Regis rolled his exasperatedly, eliciting a soft snort from Cor as the Marshall stretched his stiff limbs.

Regis glanced over at Nyx, Prompto and Luna and was happy to see that they’d mostly recovered. Whatever Luna’s magic hadn’t been able to fix for Prompto, it seemed the Elixir had worked just fine. The blond was stretching and bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking around with a skittish, yet eager, glint in his eyes.

“Y’all look like a damn mess too. The fuck happened out there?” Cid asked.

“Oh nothing, just the total collapse of my kingdom.” Regis answered vaguely.

“Oh, don’t you start Reggie.”

“Start what?”

“Here we go.” Clarus grunted, turning to Cor with pleading eyes but the Marshall simply lit up a cigarette and averted his gaze. He was barely able to get a decent puff however when slender fingers stole his cigarette, threw it to the ground, and snuffed it out under an old boot.

“Oh no ya don’t, I don’t mind y’all gettin’ cleaned up but y’ain’t gonna be smokin’ in the garage, y’all hear?” Cor glared weakly at Cid’s grand-daughter who stood determined, hands balled up on her slender hips as she faced them all with a glare, daring them to light up another cig.

No response came from the peanut gallery of three; instead, when Regis looked over to them he found himself biting back a vicious bout of laughter as he took in Nyx and Prompto’s awed expressions. Luna seemed unfazed, until Cindy walked up to her with swaying hips and a charming smile.

“Y’all are a right mess, aren’t ya? How ‘bout I fix ya up with some new clothes, hun?”

Luna looked around tentatively, glancing at Prompto for assistance but the boy was too busy being flustered and slack-jawed at how close Cindy was to him.

“I-uh...I don’t wish to impose.” Luna replied.

“Nonsense! Come on! We’ll be back in a jiffy Paw-Paw!” Cindy chirped, taking Luna by the hand and dragging her through the house to the back. 

“Right, an’ I’ll take care of you lot.” Cid smiled ruthlessly and Regis shivered. Gods above, that smile never led to anything good.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Luna stood by Cindy’s messy and barely made bed, strewn with piles of old clothes that the mechanic had decided to lay out for the Oracle as offerings. She looked around the small room of exposed brick walls covered in blueprints of cars and the like, accompanied with littered wooden floor boards that were surprisingly clean given the mess that lay on top of them.

Rusty wind-chimes clinked and sang in the open window, all made of spare metal parts and Luna stared at those fixedly before Cindy snapped her fingers cheekily in front of her eyes, bringing her back to the mechanic’s room and away from the beyond.

“I don’t know if ya got a taste or style, so feel free to go ham on what I got for ya, yer Highness.” Cindy gestured at the large piles and Luna shifted awkwardly.

“Thank you Miss…” She trailed off, eyes flitting back nervously to Cindy’s wide green ones, a beam spreading on the others face.

“Oh, just call me Cindy! Ev’ryone round here does!” She barked out a small laugh and walked sat down, lacing her calloused fingers together and waiting for Luna to begin her search. 

It must be like some kind of achievement, laying in wait, trying to see what aspects of your life the Oracle approved of. Luna turned to the clothes with a calculating frown. There was nothing wrong with any of Cindy’s clothes, all of them were very much her. Ranging from ones that Luna knew she would definitely feel uncomfortable wearing (shorts that short must chafe dreadfully) to ones that Luna knew she would cook in, given how hot it was outside.

“Um…” She mumbled, suddenly unsure of herself and cursing the lack of any real female friends in her life.

“Hmm, how ‘bout this?” Cindy held up a worn pair of light brown cargo pants and Luna thought. It would be more comfortable than her tattered dress, and it would certainly be suitable for whatever journey lay ahead of her. She nodded and Cindy’s eyes brightened. She threw the pants on the back of her small beige armchair that sat on an angle in the corner by a second-hand floor lamp.

“Alright, how ‘bout this one then?” Cindy hummed as she leapt up, diving in and picking out a crop top. Luna’s face blanched and Cindy hummed understandably, dropping the shirt to the floor.

“I-I’m sorry.” Luna apologised, face now turning red as Cindy laughed.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it yer Highness, some of my clothes ain’t fer everyone!” She chirped, continuing to rummage through the piles. Luna turned to look back at the clothes and felt her eyes widen as she noticed a green patch on a dark brown bomber jacket. Her hand darted out to snatch it and she held it up, inspecting it carefully.

“Ah! Ya like the cactuar yer Highness?” Cindy grinned. Luna nodded and placed the jacket carefully on the back of the chair, fingers tracing the cactuar’s outline slowly.

“Watch out!”

Luna turned and got smacked in the face with a shirt, frowning playfully as she listened to Cindy giggle and snort.

“Sorry yer Highness.” Cindy managed to squeeze out of her vocal cords but Luna just waved it off and inspected the shirt. An ash grey tank top with no distinguishable noteworthy qualities, it was just grey. She folded it up and placed it on the chair with the rest of her ensemble.

“Now, you’ll be wantin’ some good shoes if yer hiking or roamin’ the lands. You’ll also want somethin’ warm, in case it rains on y’all.” Cindy said as she darted over to a corner of her room were stacks of old shoes were tossed carelessly.

“Something warm?”

“Yup!” Cindy replied shortly, leaving Luna to inspect the clothes once more. 

She rifled through the shirts and wrenched a long sleeved one free before also picking up a simple, double breasted jacket. She hugged them close to her body and turned to see Cindy smiling and holding out some shoes.

“Is it really alright if I take these?” 

“Oh go right ahead yer Highness! I ain’t wearin’ ‘em anymore!” Cindy guffawed and thrust the shoes forward again eagerly. Luna plucked them out of the mechanics grip and bit back a weak, shy smile.

“Thank you.”

“I hope it all fits ya! Why don’t ya get changed, and I’ll go check on the boys?” Cindy winked and left before waiting for a reply.

Luna stood awkwardly in the middle of the room before rushing over and sliding the basic, and dirty, lace curtains over the window, even though she knew that no one would be able to see her anyway.

She lifted the jacket up and sniffed lightly, sighing wistfully to herself. It smelt like motor oil and cheap perfume. Had Cindy worn this on a date once? Was it really okay for Luna to take this? Cindy had said it was fine but...Luna shook her head and steeled herself. It was best to accept Cindy’s kind gesture and get dressed.

She sniffed the jacket once more and closed her eyes as memories wafted over her of times she had never even lived but knew enough of to experience without reflection. A summer evening, a dimly lit car park and soft giggles.

She opened her eyes and cleared away the thoughts of childish envy.

The jacket smelt nice.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cindy ducked her head in the garage with a broad beam, tilting back her cap and blowing out a low whistle.

“Well don’t y’all look fine!”

Prompto whipped around with a blush as he froze, forgetting to hastily pull the fingerless gloves and wristbands Cid had leant him over his palms and cover...it up. He looked down at himself, feeling his face turn red. He didn’t think he looked...remarkably good. Well, clean was better than nothing he guessed.

The red tank top and grey cargo pants were comfy; the boots were maybe a little loose but he wasn’t going to complain, he didn’t want to poke the bear and get bit. Prompto looked up and met Nyx’s passive eyes that were watching him carefully, something indistinguishable in his eyes, before turning away and leaving Prompto to internally explode.

He snuck a glance at Nyx and cursed Cid Sophiar with all he had before turning away once more, desperately hoping no one could see the tomato that had taken his head’s place atop his shoulders.

You want to talk about ‘fine’, Cindy? Yeah, sure, okay, let’s talk about how the shirt Cid gave Nyx is just too tight so that it stretches and shows off all of his freaking perfect muscles, especially when he stretches...which he was and Gods he needed to stop looking otherwise he’d die (and don’t get him started on Nyx’s ass which was like a gift from the heavens and Eos Herself AND FUCK OKAY HE NEEDED TO CHILL).

Prompto covered his face with his hands and decided to just scream as quietly as he could in the back of his throat.

“You okay?” Cindy asked and Prompto just about died again because the Goddess was right next to him, all beautiful green eyes and wavy blonde hair with all the confidence in showing off her skin, leaving Prompto in stark awe of her.

“Sure!” He squeaked out.

He heard Nyx chuckle behind him and whipped around to glare childishly at the glaive who had turned around and walked off, picking up a jacket and throwing it on (and holy hell his back muscles rippled perfectly and ha ha Prompto was screwed, so very screwed).

“Thank you Cid, for all the clothes.”

Prompto turned and observed the King and his company.

King Regis was dressed in some slack jeans and a plain t-shirt with a cape-like jacket that had silver fastenings and details, keeping the King appearing somewhat regal. He’d also kept his leg brace which also stood out terrifically. None of it really went with the rest of the outfit but Prompto wasn’t going to say anything, after all the King had been wearing suits for the last...what? Decade? It was about time he got to choose what he wanted to wear.

Clarus and Cor wore some worn jeans with boots that looked like they dealt more damage than the men’s swords. Cor had a thick jacket and simple long-sleeve, layered shirt on with his dog tags still wrapped carefully around his neck. Clarus had a black tank top on (obviously trying to keep in touch with the Lucian colours) and a jacket similar to Gladio’s the more Prompto thought about it. Maybe this was where Gladio got his fashion sense?

All in all, they looked terrible.

But it was better than their torn clothes from the Citadel; remnants of royalty. 

Prompto shuffled on his feet, rocking back on the heels every now and again, as Nyx came up beside him. The glaive crossed his arms and Prompto took a moment to glance at the older man, inspecting his face before suddenly finding those observant eyes meeting his own once more.

“What?” Nyx asked.

“Um...did it hurt?”

“Did what hurt?”

“The uh...the tats.”

Nyx glanced down at the visible marks on his hands and gave a small, polite nod in return. Prompto’s face became sombre as the blond turned away, a frown etching on Nyx’s forehead as he watched the boy visibly darken.

“Figured.” Prompto mumbled and Nyx watched as the blond grasped at his wrist, fingers fiddling and fastening his new fingerless gloves over his hand.

Before Nyx could ask what that meant however, Cid turned around and admired his handiwork with his grand-daughter by his side.

“Not bad for a bunch of old geezers.” He cackled and Regis pouted as Clarus looked just about ready to slap Cid over the head.

“At least no one will recognise us now, thank you Cid.” Cor thanked the mechanic, deciding to ignore any previous jab at his age.

“No problem, y’all can stay the night too if ya need.”

Regis sighed in relief as Luna entered the room, fiddling awkwardly with her new clothes and Prompto managed to catch her eye, sending her an encouraging nod which she seemed to appreciate. Luna then shot a thankful glance at Cindy who beamed back at her, all while Nyx watched, eyes darting from the blondes to Prompto’s wrist. Cor and Clarus stood gathered around Regis, faces weathered and tired and honestly looking like they could use some of Ignis’ Ebony right around now.

Prompto missed Ignis, and Noct, and Gladio. 

Where were his brothers now?

Regis sat down carefully on a stool by Cid’s workbench and shot the mechanic and weary, but thankful, smile.

“That would be much appreciated Cid.”


	8. Nice Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to one of my dear friends, Vinny <3 <3

A long, drawn out whistle drew Prompto’s attention away from the stench of the dumpster and over to Cid, moths dancing past his face and up to the small, dim light bulb that flickered harshly in the soft, dusk lighting. The older man was holding up Prompto’s torn coat from the outfit King Regis had had made for him. For the treaty. The memory clotted in the back of his mind and he blinked rapidly, ditching it as he threw the last of their old, torn clothes into the large bin.

“What happened here?” Cid asked, quirking an eyebrow at Prompto who shrugged stiffly.

“Just some, uh...rubble.” Prompto lied, rather badly. Cid sent him an unamused stare before throwing it into the skip.

“Rubble, huh?”

“Yeah.” Prompto mumbled, looking down at his feet and fiddling with his gloves. He heard Cid sigh.

“Alright, I won’t pry no more. Just think of it as an old man’s curiosity gettin’ the better of him.” Came the gravelly tone of Cid’s voice and when Prompto looked up again, it was just in time to see the man duck back inside. Prompto stood outside, lingering in the fading light, listening to the chattering of cicadas and the hum of the light bulbs that lit up the small garage and its surroundings. 

It was a lot more quiet than Insomnia.

Insomnia with its bustling streets, full of people, and light, and life.

Now it was covered in drying blood, corpses, with echoes of empty streets and rubble, and chaos.

Prompto walked around the front of the garage and looked out to the empty road. What was he doing here? Did he really think he could keep up with the King of Lucis? The Oracle of Eos? Their inner circle? He was just one person, one simple pleb out of a million. Hell fire and its sparks, he wasn’t even completely human! His spine rippled in response and the choir surged as if to prove his point, but no. No he wasn’t going to listen to them tonight. 

Tonight he’d just...take some pictures. 

Prompto froze.

Ah. The camera was in the Citadel. Destroyed. Under all that rubble. Crap. 

He held his head in his hands and bit his bottom lip. What now, genius?

“Ya feelin’ okay hun?”

Prompto whipped around furiously to meet Cindy’s sympathetic gaze, he gaped. Opening and closing his mouth, hoping for words that never came, as she watched on patiently.

“Fine.” He croaked out at last.

“Ya don’t lookit ya know.”

“Really?” Prompto tried a bemused grin but he had a feeling it came out with more teeth than Cindy was comfortable with. She lifted her hands out from behind her back and wiggled the two bottles of cheap beer in his face.

“Really. Ya wipe those tears of yours and come join me.” She stated, turning to her right and climbing on top of the hood of someone’s truck. Prompto rubbed his eyes embarrassedly, shocked to find they were wet with tears spilling over the rims. He clambered up beside Cindy and sat stiff next to her as she popped the beers open.

“You are of drinkin’ age right?” She asked, her hands freezing midway through unsealing the second bottle. He nodded eagerly in response and she grinned.

“Perfect! Here ya go!” Prompto’s hands slipped on the bottle’s damp surface and he felt his heart race with momentary adrenaline as he thought he’d drop it. But it remained in his hands, giving him a moment of respite to lift the bottle to his lips and sip.

It wasn’t as nice as the stuff he’d had back in Insomnia with Noct that one time, but it was still pretty good. Noct...Prompto frowned sadly. Was he okay? He must’ve heard by now, about Insomnia. Was he handling it well? Oh, who was Prompto kidding, of course he wasn’t handling it well. He must think that his dad is dead or something like that. He must be so upset right now. 

Prompto closed his eyes and pushed the thoughts away, it would all be fine in the end. He’d get Regis to Noct, and Noct would be happy. Noct would marry Luna and have wonderful, gorgeous babies with her and be a great King too. And Prompto would be there too...he thinks. Prompto turned his gaze to Cindy, hoping her green eyes would calm him a little and found her downing the whole beer bottle in greedy gulps.

Her lips popped off the rim and yep, Prompto just died again. Seriously, how was he going to survive this freaking trip with its possibilities of daemons and Empire fighting, if he couldn’t even focus for one single damn second. Damn it Prompto, he chided mentally before trying very hard to concentrate.

“Feel better?” Cindy asked and Prompto lifted his gaze to meet her heavenly, green eyes again.

“A bit.”

“Wanna tell me what’s goin’ on in there?” Cindy poked his forehead and he stumbled, fingers flitting over the surface of the beer bottle in his grasp.

“I, uh…”

“Ya don’t have to tell me if ya don’t want to, we aren’t exactly best friends for life.”

And isn’t that a nice thought? Having the Goddess as his best friend for life. It sounded pretty good, especially since he knew he wouldn’t have a single chance with her in a million lifetimes, so best friends it was. For life. New goal found.

“No, its...it’s okay. I was just…”

“Thinkin’?” She supplied. He gave her a small nod.

“Yeah.”

“Well don’t think too hard, it can do yer head in some days.” Her voice was dripping with something unspeakable that Prompto couldn’t name. It sounded like him on bad days. When he thought about his mother...and his father.

“Yeah.” He grimaced at how lame he sounded, he needed her to be his best friend for life (THE GODDESS), he needed to step up his game! Wait, was it possible to have a crush on any best friend he had? (Well, it’s not like his feelings for No-OKAY NO.)

“Mah parents died when I was young.” Cindy murmured, her soft lips barely moving as the words entered the space between them and lingered.

“My mum died when I was young too.” He offered and she looked at him, eyes sparking up as she looked at him and he felt like some sort of sacred bond had been formed with her (at least he hoped it was a sacred bond and not nerves forcing the alcohol back up). He took another sip.

“What about yer dad?”

Prompto flinched.

“Ah, sorry hun.”

“Nah, it’s okay. You didn’t know.”

Silence fell over them, all soft and warm and Prompto felt like he could fall asleep right there, nestle his face on Cindy’s shoulder and drift off like Noct did. 

“It’s a nice night, ain’t it?”

“Mmm.”

Cindy nudged him and he blinked wearily.

“Ya better head in and get some sleep sweetheart.”

“But I didn’t even finish my beer.” He argued weakly but she waved him off, plucking his bottle from his hands.

“Go.”

Prompto sighed and slipped off the truck. No point arguing with the Goddess herself. He walked back down by the dumpster and slipped indoors, curling in on himself and slinking along the outskirts of the rooms he walked through before sitting down in Cid’s garage and lifting a piece of scrap to his eye level. Amazing how the old man could turn junk to jewels, just like that.

Maybe Prompto could too.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cid yawned obnoxiously as he walked down the corridor towards his bedroom and sweet, sweet slumber. Just had to make sure them rowdy intruders didn’t get ahead of themselves and rifle through his belongings, or eat all his grub. He frowned pointedly at that as memories of Clarus’ appetite came back to him, however and abrupt noise from his left disturbed him.

He crept carefully into his garage, hating how he felt like an intruder in his own place, and ground to a halt. The blond kid...Prompto! That was his name. He was sat at Cid’s bench, fiddling with spare parts and transforming them into something new. Cid approached cautiously.

“Yer pretty damn good aren’t ya?” 

Prompto jolted off the stool and stumbled, his foot catching on one of the stool’s legs, tripping and falling with a yelp into Cid’s spare toolboxes. The metal crashes and the sound of his many toolboxes clattering to the ground echoed around the empty space and Cid stood frozen for a second before barking out a bout of laughter.

“Everything alright Cid?” He heard Clarus call out.

Cid steadied himself, one arm holding him upright as he leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.

“Yeah, I’m good!” He replied, turning slowly back to Prompto who had adopted a guilty, terrified look on his face as he lay frozen in amongst Cid’s collection of metal boxes and tools. The old mechanic shook his head and made his way over to the blond, holding out a handy and pulling Prompto up out of the mess to his feet.

“S-Sorry, I just-I was just...uh…”

“Yer interested in machines huh?” Cid started, noting how Prompto gripped his right wrist tentatively.

“Um...a little bit?”

Cid gave a harsh little smirk that didn’t match the atmosphere but Prompto was sort of used to it after spending a whole day with the man, seeing these same small smirks on his face when he engaged in banter with the King. It was kinda just how Cid was...he guessed.

“Wanna learn?”

Cid watched as Prompto’s eyes lit up in contrast to how he soon quickly frowned, pondering over the situation. The benefits and the doubts.

“Um...okay.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx rolled over and glanced at the old, antique clock on the wall that ticked and tocked ominously in the dark. It was one o’clock. Great. He lifted himself up and out of his makeshift bed on the floor that Cid had thrown together, carefully looking over his shoulder and raising his eyebrows as he noted that the King and his Shield were absent. Looking away from where the Marshall lay, he looked to the empty, untouched blankets on his right. 

The kid, Prompto, was still absent.

Nyx rose, groaning as his tired, stiff limbs creaked at the movement. He steadied himself and shuffled out of the living, room careful not to wake Cor as he slept. Best to let sleeping Immortals lie.

He entered the hallway and was met with a weary Cid Sophiar, stretching and yawning, tired eyes regarding him obtrusively.

“Maybe you’ll have more luck.” He snorted, sidestepping the glaive awkwardly and proceeding down the hall.

Nyx watched him move, all jerking limbs and tired stumbles, before looking at the way Cid had come. The door to his garage was open, a soft, orange light creeping through. He frowned and made his way towards it.

Ah.

So that’s what Cid had meant.

By Cid’s metal workbench sat Prompto, fingers and hands moving faster than Nyx had ever seen hands move, fiddling and adjusting, working with scrap metals. What was he doing? Nyx frowned and tried to figure it out, but he couldn’t for the life of him. He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms, watching silently as Prompto sighed frustratedly, chucking one piece behind him and picking up another.

Nyx couldn’t tear his eyes away from the rhythmic process, the flurry of Prompto’s hands as he worked. Nyx frowned and tore his mystified eyes away. He didn’t know Prompto at all. Prompto Argentum. That whole...thing with the chains back in the Citadel. Lab rat. What was all that about? He wanted to know and understand. Was Prompto someone he could trust? Don’t get him wrong, he wanted to trust Prompto. He seemed nice, and eternally considerate. Nyx couldn’t really fathom how after everything that had happened while he was a...lab rat, he was still this kind.

He really couldn’t understand it at all.

So he wanted to understand Prompto.

“What’re you doing?” Nyx asked, taking pleasure in how the blond jolted, snapping his spine straight so he was no longer hunched over. His grip slipped on one of the jagged pieces of metal he’d been handling, the piece slicing his finger deeply.

“Ow! Ow! Okay, hi um...hi Nyx.” Prompto whimpered, throwing a bashful smile at the glaive.

Nyx frowned and crossed the floor, reaching out and grabbing Prompto’s hand, checking the wound quickly.

“You’ll live.” Nyx stated as he looked up (definitely noting how Prompto’s fair skin had turned a bright red). He let go of the blond and leaned back against the workbench, picking up a random piece of metal and turning it around in the palm of his hand.

“So, what were you doing?” He asked, glancing at Prompto who stared at him, mouth slightly agape. 

“Oh, um...Cid was teaching me how to uh...upgrade...stuff.” He responded, fidgeting as he sat back down on the stool, fingers toying with his wristbands nervously.

“Upgrade?”

“Yeah, like weapons. Trying to just...help, I guess.” Prompto’s voice dropped to low mumble and he hung his head low. Nyx stopped playing with the metal scrap and placed it back on the bench, reaching out and gripping Prompto’s shoulder reassuringly.

“Don’t overwork yourself.” Nyx said in a stern voice that drew Prompto’s eyes up to meet his. Those surreal violet and blue orbs glistening in the soft, weak lighting of the lamp on Cid’s bench. Those eyes that had been red; so angry and raw with power, now such a peaceful blue. Yeah, Nyx definitely wanted to know more about Prompto. But not tonight. Not yet.

“C’mon, enough for tonight.” Nyx stated softly, moving away from the bench and only thinking to stop when he reached the doorway, turning back to check that Prompto was following. He saw him still sitting on the stool in shock, bolting up off the stool when Nyx’s eyes landed on him again. Face turning red once more.

“Y-Yeah! Okay.” Prompto responded, reigning in his bubbly personality a little and allowing himself to feel the fatigue that he’d been holding back the entire time he’d been tinkering. He was tired. Rest sounded good right about now.

Nyx led him out of the garage and back to the living room where he laid down on the floor, shuffling in the blankets awkwardly as Nyx laid down beside him. A harsh, gentle sigh escaping from the other man as he nestled in for the night.

Prompto watched Nyx as he fell asleep (and yeah okay maybe that’s creepy but it relaxed him a little, to see that at least one person was safe), listening to chirps of cicadas and the soft snores of Cor somewhere ahead of him that echoed and filled the silence, coercing himself and the choir to sleep.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“We’ll meet up with him. Eventually.” 

Regis turned his droopy eyes to Clarus with a crestfallen pout.

“Oh don’t give me that face.” Clarus chided as he leaned back in his chair, batting a moth away from his face. Regis frowned, turning his face away and lacing his weathered fingers together worriedly.

“I know Clarus I just…” He trailed off, pursing his lips together.

“The fate of a parent, I guess.” Clarus quipped.

“Says you.” Regis chirped back, regretting his words immediately as Clarus’ face fell. He chewed on his lip in a frustrated rhythm.

“My apologies.” He delivered quickly as a moth landed on the Ring of the Lucii; he hadn’t the heart to wave it off.

“S’okay.” His Shield replied gruffly, shuffling in his chair and huffing through his nose pointedly, leaving Regis’ guilt to gnaw at him.

“No it was not-”

“Reggie, it’s fine we’re both worried. It’s understandable.” 

It wasn’t fair how logical Clarus sounded; his baby girl was out somewhere...hopefully. Running around with other refugees. He must want to find Iris just as much as Regis wanted to find Noct. It wasn’t fair that he was being forced to follow Regis around like this, he should go find his family and be with them. He should find Iris and-

Clarus flicked his forehead, immediately causing Regis’ wrinkled frown to dissipate into confusion.

“You were doing it again?”

“Doing what?”

“Thinking. Deeply.” Regis scowled.

“It’s my job to think deeply, Clarus.”

“Well it isn’t now.”

Silence fell over them. Impenetrable silence highlighted by the chirps of insects that somehow had more to say than the pair of them. But this was how it had always been. Regis and Clarus had never talked much, instead they’d simply slotted together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. They didn’t need words to know. Well, know much.

“We should go rest.” Regis declared, and with a humble nod from Clarus, the pair rose and re-entered the living room. The old King smiling softly as he saw Prompto sleeping soundly with Nyx and Cor practically still as statues in their slumber. The corners of his mouth forming deep laugh lines he felt he hadn’t used in years, ever since Noctis moved out. Clarus nudged him and the smile fell, his cheeks sagging down his face and he rubbed his temple.

 

“Bed time.”


	9. Locked and Loaded

The soft clinking of Cindy’s wind chimes graced Luna’s ears as she blinked blearily, watching the ceiling’s wooden grains and feeling how she breathed. Lungs expanding delicately before collapsing in on themselves. Today she would depart to form the covenants. Today she would leave and be one step closer to her death.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

It was alright. This was her duty; her purpose. To aid the King. This was her fate, and that was fine. Noctis had to purge the star of its scourge, and if that meant that she had to die, for all others to live. Then that was okay. 

She rolled over and sighed, the burning sensation of her lungs being completely filled satisfied her and she opened her eyes again, looking out from her spot on Cindy’s bed. The room was quiet and still, with the dust dancing through the sunbeams as the only sign of life. Cindy had tidied up a bit apparently, clothes no longer strewn across the floor and shoes stacked neatly in the corner. Luna smiled.

She lifted herself on her elbows and was about to swing her legs out of the bed when the bathroom door creaked open slowly. Cindy stepped out, towelling off her hair, her shirt riding up and revealing her smooth, toned abdomen, leaving Luna fumbling and flustered.

“Oh! Mornin’ yer Highness! I didn’t wake ya, did I?” Cindy chirped, voice all bubbly and beautiful as Luna sat up and calmed herself.

“Ah, no. No. You didn’t wake me.” She assured her and Cindy brightened, a broad, toothy smile stretching over her face.

“That’s good! I was worried for a second there!”

Cindy slid the towel off her hair and let it hang around her neck and shoulders, her hair bouncing around her face in wet, glistening locks. Luna interlocked her fingers together and focused intently on them.

“Y’alright yer Highness?”

Luna met Cindy’s concerned gaze and nearly melted, how warm and affectionate those eyes were only having just met Luna the day before. Some people in this world were so kind. So incredibly kind.

“I’m fine, thank you Cindy and please,” She added as the other blonde sat down and started to pull on her shoes, stopping to look and listen to the Oracle.

“Call me Luna.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto walked alongside Cid as he led him across the dry plains at the back of Hammerhead, towards a couple tree stumps and boulders. 

“Alright, now you wait here.” Cid instructed before hobbling away, the empty beer bottles clinking in his arms as he went, leaving Prompto to stand awkwardly in the open space and look around of the surroundings. There weren’t any daemons, which was good. Very good. He didn’t really wanna deal with a fight right now.

“Ya ready?” 

He turned back around and nodded as Cid came to a stop beside him, turning back to admire his handiwork and gesture flippantly at the bottles as they stood, gleaming brilliantly in the morning sun.

“Whenever yer ready.”

“Okay.”

Prompto took a deep breath, closing his eyes and steadying himself before slowly opening them and summoning his guns. The flash of blue a welcomed, familiar light that Prompto’s heart ached at. Soon. He’d meet up with Noct soon.

He lifted his right arm, held it steady as aimed, poising himself carefully, the instructions and muscle memory of how to hold his body blaring in the back of his mind. He took another deep breath and pulled the trigger.

The gunshot echoed in the empty space all around them as the bullet ripped through the air and collided with the first glass bottle, shattering into little pieces that twinkled in the sunlight as they fell to the ground. A wave of satisfaction and relief washed over him as he heard Cid whistle.

“Not bad. How long you been learnin’?” He asked as Prompto lifted his gun again, searching for the next kick, the next release of loud emotion and all that he couldn’t quite scream on his own. The next bullet hit its target perfectly as well.

“Since I was...five.”

“That so?”

Another bullet. Another glass bottle knocked off its perch.

“Yeah, I uh...I stopped for a while though. Picked it up again when Noct asked me to join his Crownguard.”

“Noct?” Cid teased in a gravelly voice and Prompto flushed, embarrassed, missing his shot this time.

“U-Um-”

“S’okay kiddo, just gotta watch what ya say around the public.”

“Not around the others?” Prompto asked, genuinely intrigued. He angled away from the bottles and faced Cid directly as the man held his hand out, asking for one of Prompto’s guns.

“Yeah, Reggie and Clare-bear should be fine with it. That goes for the Runt too. Not sure 'bout that glaive, Nyx, and the oracle though.” Cid shrugged as Prompto short-circuited at the nicknames.

“Wait. ‘Clare-bear’? ‘Runt’?” He asked in a tone of disbelief.

“Ha! Like ‘em? I came up with ‘em myself.” Cid chuckled as he took aim with Prompto’s gun and, without warning, fired three times at the remaining bottles. He turned to the blond and laughed at his stunned expression.

“You can use a gun?” Prompto squeaked out.

“Yup. Not much I can’t do.” Cid grinned cheekily before looking behind Prompto, causing the younger gunner to whip around and see Clarus beckoning them over back to the concrete grounds of Hammerhead.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis rose from his chair as Prompto and Cid rounded the corner of the garage with Clarus, shooting a smile at the blond before clapping a hand on Cid’s shoulder as soon as he was close enough.

“Thank you Cid. For everything.” 

Cid smirked and lifted Regis’ hand off of him.

“Don’t you worry ‘bout, just means that you owe me one now.” He grinned, all teeth and predator and Regis slumped.

“Oh dear. The horror.”

“Shut up Reggie.” Cid snapped, losing all bark and bite as he stepped back and looked at them all. The quirky group of people that had honestly just been thrown together due to unfortunate circumstances. He sighed and rubbed at his temple.

“Y’all are so screwed.”

“Thanks Cid.” Cor huffed, the old mechanic throwing a dirty glare but Cor paid no mind to it, simply continuing to rattle the car keys in his hand.

“Damn Runt, all these years and ya still haven’t learnt to show some damn respect.”

“Sure Cid.”

Regis laughed softly, under his breath and turned back to Cid.

“We’d best be going.”

“Then get gone already.” His old friend quipped in a grouchy tone. The King turned away and hobbled over to the car, Clarus by his side. He could see Prompto and Nyx standing behind Luna as she hugged Cindy goodbye, face flushed slightly as she shot Cid’s grand-daughter one last smile before moving away and walking around to the other side of their car. Nyx following and opening the door to the driver’s seat.

Prompto began to move off, waving awkwardly at Cindy before she huffed, annoyed and wrapped her arms around him, lifting him off the ground in a hug before placing him back down and patting his head. The poor boy was completely red and stumbling over words as Cindy laughed at his shocked expression.

“Come on Prompto!” Nyx called out.

The boy tore himself away from Cindy who waved and winked cheekily, watching the three of them slip into the confines of the car. 

Regis hopped into his own and nodded at Cid one last time before closing the door, hearing Clarus and Cor follow suit.

“Ready?” 

Regis turned to regard Clarus quietly before nodding, the engine starting and the car pulling out of Hammerhead to the sounds of Cindy yelling fond farewells as they disappeared down the road.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Noct!”

He pulled himself out of his stupor, eyes growing wide in shock as he realised everything had been dark. So dark. What happened? He looked up and saw Ignis defending him, concerned expression carved onto his face, as Gladio finished off a daemon to his left. Noct felt numb. What happened? He felt warm. Wet and warm.

He looked down.

A mangled daemon corpse lay underneath him, long since dead but apparently that hadn’t mattered. Stab wounds littered the body in all the vital areas and Noct swallowed back his fear.

He’d done that.

He threw his weapon to the side and stumbled away, fear gripping him completely. He couldn’t hear Ignis’ concerned calls for him to stand up. Couldn’t hear Gladio bellowing at him to fight.

He just wanted to go home.

Everything fell silent and Noct went to pull his knees up to his chest when someone yanked him up off the ground, turning him around angrily.

“What the hell was that?” Gladio growled.

“Gladio-”

“What the hell was that Noct?!” He asked again, cutting Ignis off, and Noct glared back. Angry and miserable.

“What? You’ve never seen me fight?” He snapped back sarcastically, which was obviously not the best thing to have said as he saw Ignis shake his head wearily in disappointment and the vein on Gladio’s neck bulge furiously.

“That. Wasn’t. Fighting. We needed you out there! _Focused!_ And you decided to go fucking catatonic!” 

“You expect me to not be a little upset?!” Noct yelled. 

“I expect you to keep it together here!” 

“I LOST MY FAMILY!!!” Noct screamed, voice raw and grating. 

“WE LOST PEOPLE TOO!!” 

Noct froze, his frown slipping from his face to a guilty grimace, looking away from Gladio’s burning eyes and to where he saw Ignis looking away from the pair of them. His mournful eyes barely visible past the rims of his glasses. Noct let his eyes slip to the floor in guilt.

“Sorry.” He mumbled.

Gladio let go of him, letting Noct drop back onto the floor unceremoniously and steady himself, curling his body inwards.

“We need you to focus here Noct. You’re not some Prince anymore, you’re King now. Get it?”

Noct flinched.

He was King.

His dad was dead.

Oh gods.

He looked back up at Gladio, meeting his fiery eyes with his own sombre ones and gave a small, slight nod. He knew. He understood. He just didn’t want to.

Ignis turned back to face them and opened his mouth to speak when his phone rang. All three froze. Gladio and Noct faced Ignis with matching confused frowns as the Strategist answered the call tentatively.

“Hello?”

_“Scientia?”_

Ignis frowned, throwing his concern to Gladio and Noct who gathered closer to his phone to hear the other person on the end.

“May I ask who’s calling?”

_“Geez, get that stick out of your ass already. Its Monica Elshett.”_

“Monica?!” Noct exclaimed and Ignis heard Monica chuckle in relief.

_“Good, I was hoping the Prince was still around.”_

“What can we do for you?”

_“Well, you can bring yourselves over to where I am is what you can do.”_

Ignis looked over to Gladio and Noct who nodded determinedly. Miss Elshett it was then.

“Where can we find you?”

_“Prairie Outpost. Kick those asses into gear boys. We’ve got work to do.”_

And with that she hung up.


	10. Missing You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WOAH IT'S CHAPTER TEN ALREADY HOLY SHIT GUYS  
> This chapter is dedicated to my lovely friend Jose, whom this entire fic is gifted to!!! She's a lovely person and I am very lucky to be her friend <3

Noct hopped out of the Regalia and immediately headed towards the shade, cursing the the bright sun as it beat heavily down onto him. He’d been grateful to hear Monica’s voice again (she’d survived, thank Gods she’d survived) but if listening to her meant standing around and being roasted alive, Noct wasn’t exactly sure it was worth the hassle.

A bark sounded from behind him and he whipped around, a foreign smile being tugged onto his face as he saw Umbra bound over to him.

“Hey boy.” He greeted and knelt down, laughing as the black and tan dog leaped up to lick his face. Gods this was weird. It had been so long since he’d felt this great. Since he’d laughed this hard. Noct squeezed his eyes shut and hugged Umbra tightly. It felt nice.

Umbra huffed and groaned, squirming and wriggling out of Noct’s release as the Prince laughed once more at the put-out expression on the dog’s face.

“Sorry buddy.”

Umbra huffed again and turned around revealing the small leather-bound journal Noct was all too familiar with. He felt all joy vanish from within him and his stomach plummet all the way through Eos. Luna.

He took the book in his hands and opened it, flipping through old pages of old messages. Hopeful words and pretty promises vanishing before his eyes as he reached his last message.

_See you in Altissia._

He flipped over and smiled shakily.

_I pray that we meet once more in Altissia too._

_Until then,_

_Luna_

He snapped the book shut and rubbed at his eyes. He’d never get to see her again. After all these years. He’d never get to protect her, save her, see her smile again. She’d died locked behind the Empire’s bars and he couldn’t do a single damn thing about it. She’d never got to know freedom again. He’d never got to see her meet Ignis, Gladio and...Prompto.

He gripped at his long fringe and bit back sobs.

Prompto and Luna had never got to meet.

His dad, he never got to see Luna again. Never got to apologise for Sylva Nox Fleuret.

They had never got to make amends.

“Noct.”

He stood up abruptly, Umbra watching him with patient eyes as the Prince turned to Ignis who stood by Gladio as a woman with grey hair and an understanding gaze cocked her hip to the side.

“Monica.” He greeted with a nod.

She gave him a small, courteous smile.

“Your Highness, it’s good to see you alive and well.”

“You too.” Noct replied in a sombre but glad voice and Monica huffed, crossing her arms.

“I should hope so.”

Noct chuckled a bit at that and Monica grinned, turning around and waving at them to follow her into the small house she’d been staying.

“Come on, daylight’s fading boys.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“I spy with my little eye...something beginning with ‘R’.”

Luna looked around the car with a steady and analytical gaze as Prompto sat next to her, watching her as she checked every corner and crevice before turning back to him with a cautious tilt of her head.

“The radio?”

Prompto’s beaming smile fell.

“How are you doing this?” He whined and Nyx snorted from the front seat, eyes flicking up to the rear-view mirror to see Prompto’s crestfallen figure and Luna’s nervous eyes.

“It was just a lucky guess.” She insisted and Prompto met her eyes with a frown.

“It’s an Oracle thing isn’t it?”

“Pardon?” She blinked confused, but her innocent expression didn’t dissuade Prompto.

“Is it a benefit of being the Oracle? You just...have extensive knowledge of...stuff?” He gestured vaguely to the air between them and Nyx snorted again. Luna covered up a small bout of giggles and rested against the seat.

“I don’t believe I possess powers of that magnitude Prompto.”

Prompto regarded her skeptically and Luna wondered if this was what it was like to have a best friend. This seemingly unimportant banter that brought people closer together and meant more than anyone else could ever know or hold value to. She liked it.

“So um, Lady Lunafreya, what powers do you have?”

She started a little at the abrupt change in tone in their conversation, missing the friendly warmth that Prompto’s words had once held and considering the formal tone he had adopted.

“I have the ability to heal and the ability to communicate with the Astrals.” _And I can fight with this power of mine too_ , she adds mentally but not aloud because she’s not sure if she really can. She knows that it’s strange for an Oracle to fight, that none have been taught how since Tenanye the Fierce, but she’s always felt like she might need to know. A feeling that heightened when her mother died and her brother was conscripted into the Nifleheim army.

Luna knew that forming covenants with the Astrals was important, but she wanted to help Noct however she could. If that meant fighting, then she wanted to be able to. She just...had no idea where to start.

She comes back to the car and sees Prompto staring at her with a concerned little frown that honestly looks adorable on him and she frowns right back, a touch playfully. She knows he’s probably wondering what she was thinking of, but right now she wants to change the conversation. And she knows how to as well.

“Prompto.”

He brightens up a bit, eyes sparkling slightly.

“Yea-Yes? Lady Lunafreya?”

“Please, just call me Luna.”

She watches as his face falls, worry creeping up his freckled cheeks and violet and blue eyes. She wants to reach out to him, but she’s not sure if that’s okay yet.

“Isn’t that...isn’t that something that friends do?” He asks, a mournful little tone in his voice and Luna knows he’s thinking of Noctis. She knows he’s thinking of his own worth and value and she knows that he’s wrong about it. She knows how much he’s worth because Noctis told her so.

_He’s worth everything and more._

She smiles and it’s now that she reaches out, feeling guilty over how they’ve both forgotten Nyx was in the car with them as well.

“I...I was hoping that maybe, perhaps, we could be friends?” And she’s stumbling over her words forgetting what Gentiana has taught her because she’s never had a friend like Prompto before and it’s been so long since she’s tried making new friends. Her last attempt was her first. Noctis.

Prompto looks up at her, face blooming into a brilliant, radiant red that has her biting the inside of her cheek to hold back a small giggle.

“You want to be friends?” His hands tighten underneath hers and she mimics the movement reassuringly.

“Of course, I’ve heard much about you from Noctis and I-”

“Noct told you about me?!” He squeaks over her suddenly and she can’t help it. She laughs, and it’s so freeing. It’s been a long time since she’s felt like this, since the weight of the world hadn’t been on her shoulders. She likes this.

“Of course he did, he even sent me a collection of photos.” She watches, amused as Prompto’s face blanches and he hunches over a bit.

“Oh no, oh no what...what ones?” She bites back a smile and counts them off on her fingers.

“There was one of the two of you in your school uniforms, one where you were asleep and there was another where you were at an arcade-”

“Wait! When I was sleeping?! The creep!” Prompto exclaimed playfully and Luna laughed, a little snort escaping her and she froze. She found Prompto frozen looking at her too and the car swerved a little, her hands clinging tightly to the seats as she steadied herself, face flushing a bright, embarrassed red.

“Did I just hear that?” Nyx asked and she could the surprised yet smug smile on the man’s face. She slapped her hands over her eyes and turned away from Prompto.

All those years of training with Gentiana; all that time being taught how to act with manners and grace, and all it took was one blond twenty year old with freckles and a smile like the sun to bring it crashing down.

“Was that...oh em gee, Lady L-Luna, was that a snort?” Prompto’s voice is high-pitched and adorable and it makes her laugh even more, which means more dreadful snorts. Luna’s not sure she can take this.

“Oh no, oh Gods, Nyx I think I broke her. I broke the Oracle.” Prompto whispers in a horrified awe as he watches Luna curl up against the door and grip her seat-belt tightly for support.

Luna can’t respond and she’s not sure she wants to. She doesn’t want to ruin the bubble of happiness she’s sitting in right now, she doesn’t want it to burst and leave her floundering in the sheer gravity of her short future ahead of her. She just wants to laugh like her mother and Ravus are there and happy instead of dead and with only one arm. 

Luna laughs like it’s the end of the world and she loves it. She loves it because Prompto is cautiously reaching out to shove her gently while Nyx asks worried questions from the driver’s seat. She loves it as she reaches back to Prompto and hugs him tightly, practically pulling the poor boy into her lap as she sobs in-between laughs.

He flounders awkwardly for a second before hugging her back a bit and she cries a bit more. It feels like home. She hasn’t known ‘home’ in years and she loves this.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Clarus pulls into a small rest-stop area and hops out, walking around the regalia model to open Regis’ door for him. His friend nods a small thanks and turns to face the other three as they hop out of their car. Luna stumbles out a bit and wipes at her face as Prompto shuffles out quickly after her, sheepish smile on his face. Clarus looks at Regis with a little frown as he notices Luna’s red and puffy eyes. 

The hell happened?

Nyx walks up to them and the poor man looks exhausted and he can’t hide it at all. Clarus gives a small questioning quirk of his eyebrows and Nyx just shrugs helplessly.

“I don’t even know myself, and I was in the car.”

Clarus decides then and there that he doesn’t really want to know after all, whatever it was seems to be over anyway and that’s good enough reason for Clarus to dismiss it. He turns to Cor beside him and watches as the Runt sighs and scratches at his nose. May as well be mute. Clarus frowned and made a mental note to never say that out loud, otherwise Cor might actually take him up on that.

“Alright, let’s get some supplies and get moving.” Clarus suggested.

“Okay. How?” Nyx asked.

All of them stood in stunned silence and Nyx grimaced.

“Please tell me I’m not the only one that realised we’re dead broke.”

The words hit Clarus square on the back and he’s pretty sure he can hear Cid laughing diabolically in the distance. They, the King of Lucis and Oracle (as well as Princess) of Tenebrae, were broke. 

“Well then.” He grunted.

All of them shuffled awkwardly around until Prompto spoke up in a small squeak.

“Um, we could pick up a hunt?”

“What?”

Prompto pointed to a noticeboard outside the small restaurant in the rest-stop that held a variety of weather-worn papers, all with images of daemons and promises of rewards. Promises of money that they now desperately needed.

“Sounds good to me.” Nyx shrugged and crossed his arms, eyeing off the others as Cor grunted in agreement. Prompto slowly nodded as Clarus hummed non-committedly; he was always up for a good brawl. Regis sighed, figuring he would be out-voted (didn’t matter if he was King or not), and all eyes turned to Luna. She stood a little bit straighter and regarded her companions, suddenly finding herself recognised as the leader of their small group. Well, it made sense to some degree, given how it was her tasks they were helping her with.

She glanced back at the noticeboard and smiled.

“How hard could it be?”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Tomb of the Wise?” Noct echoed Monica, teeth and tongue moving around the food in his mouth as he chewed down Iggy’s cooking. 

“Mouth shut when you’re eating,” She chided and he glared at her, “but yeah, One of the past King’s tombs, you’re going to want to visit it while you’re nearby.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” Monica lifted her feet up and rested them on the table much to Ignis’ dismay. Noct held back a snort as he took in his friend’s slightly offended frown.

“What’s there?” He asked after swallowed, finger digging into his fried rice and finding a shrimp which he dropped down to Umbra who ate it greedily. Another frown of dismay from Ignis was found but Noct ignored it.

“Oh, you know, just a weapon for your royal Armiger. Nothing major, your Highness.”

Gladio coughed, beating on his chest a bit to get the rice that had lodged in his throat unstuck. Noct’s eyes widened and he glanced down to Umbra. Ignis placed his meal down on the table and regarded Monica seriously.

“As in the same Armiger King Regis had?”

Noct stiffened at the past tense, finding only small comfort in how Umbra licked his hand reassuringly.

“The very same, I’d figured you’d want to know. It is your legacy; passed down from past to present through the bonding of souls and all.”

Noct didn’t respond but that didn’t stop her from talking, didn’t discourage her from continuing at all and all of a sudden Noct just wanted her to _shut up._

“Surprised you didn’t kno-”

“Why would I know? He didn’t tell me!” Noct hissed angrily, feeling like he was spitting fire and he really wanted to bolt out of the room and punch something, hunt down some daemon and just go catatonic again.

“Noct-” 

“He just stood there and smiled and didn’t say a fucking thing!!” Noct slammed the table hard, Umbra backing up a bit, tail drooping.

“Why didn’t he say something?! _ANYTHING?!_ ” He screamed, bowing over the table in pain and misery as Ignis and Gladio floundered helplessly by his side.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Monica drawled.

“Isn’t _what_ obvious?!” Noct spat at her but froze when he noticed her sombre eyes. She sighed mournfully and spun her beer bottle around on the table’s dirtied surface listlessly.

“For just one last time, he didn’t want to be King,” She met his eyes, a small spark developing behind her pupils, “he wanted to be your father.”

How Noct had thought he could even stand was beyond him as his knees buckled and he slumped back down into his chair, head in his hands as Umbra licked at his elbow, concerned. Ignis and Gladio didn’t say a word, the pair standing like statues around the table near Noct and Monica sighed again. She stood up, carried her plate over to the sink and dropped it there before turning to the small flight of stairs.

“Feel free to stay the night boys.”

Noct heard Gladio and Iggy leave eventually, he felt their concerned gazes thrown his way before they left to talk something over, probably his mental state if he was being honest. He reached and gave Umbra a small pat to the head apologetically.

“Sorry boy.”

Umbra huffed happily and Noct grinned a little before noticing how his phone was digging into his hip. He dragged it out and brought it to life, watching as the screen lit up. His thumb immediately tapped on his messages, his dark blue eyes fixing on Prompto’s contact name.

Chocoboy.

He smiled to himself and opened their conversation, heart freezing as he read the message he’d sent in return. The words he’d sent days late. Words Prompto would never get to read or know. He gripped the phone tightly and tried to fight off a terrifying wave of tears and sorrow, hunching over the wooden table, squeezing his eyes tight.

_Miss you dork._


	11. I'm Sure Of It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I SACRIFICED SLEEP TO WRITE THIS COZ I DON'T FEEL TIRED?! BUT THIS IS BAD I HAVE SHIT TO DO TOMORROW-SHIT NO TODAY! OH FUCK GUYS I'M SO SCREWED

“Alright, looks like a bunch of reapertails.” 

Prompto looked out across the plains and grimaced at the the scorpion-like creatures as the scuttled over mounds and plants. Yeah he really didn’t want to do this. Couldn’t they just, like, fish for food or something? If Noct were here they’d be able to fish for food. Actually if Iggy were here he’d probably be able to cook something up with just mushrooms. Prompto glanced at the mushrooms near his feet and frowned; on second-thought, those things looked deadly. He doubted Ignis would touch those, even with a ten-foot pole, or his lance. His lance would probably be better since it’s always on hand-

“Prompto?”

He started and looked up to see everyone staring at him, he froze, aware that he was stumbling over words that were somehow falling from his mouth and he only felt worse when Clarus sighed.

“Just stick close, you’ll be providing support with Lunafreya and Regis, while myself, Cor and Nyx will take up the front. Got it?” Prompto nodded eagerly.

With a flash of blue light their weapons appeared and they readied for battle. Prompto bit his lip nervously as he surveyed the area, if Noct were here he’d just leap straight into with a confident warp-strike and leave everyone else to follow up. A hand tentatively reached out to him and when he turned he saw Luna looking at him with concern painted clearly over her face.

“Are you alright?” She whispered as the others moved away from them, preparing themselves for battle.

“Y-Yeah, sorry Luna.” He blushed as he said her name, it still felt so weird. So foreign on his tongue, but he couldn’t worry about that now and he’d probably get used to it with time anyway. She smiled at him reassuringly.

“You’ll be fine Prompto. You at least have a weapon.” She grumbled a little as she looked back at the others with their swords and kukris.

“You don’t have one?”

“Well, I do, but...it seems it’s unavailable to me at the moment.” Prompto frowned and Luna watched as he seemed to consider her before holding his hands out and summoning his guns in a burst of blue light that sparkled and faded between them.

“Here, you can take one of mine.”

“I couldn’t possibly-”

“You need to protect yourself, so here. Just point and pull the trigger.” He shoved one of his firearms into her hand and she held it awkwardly, tense as she observed the foreign weapon in her hand. A weapon she had seen pointed at her own people countless times. But this one was different, she realised jarringly as she noticed a small moogle sticker on the hilt. She looked at Prompto, bemused.

“Oh, ah, that was all Iris, she uh...she said it didn’t have enough personality.” His eyes flicked to Clarus warily and furrowed his eyebrows guiltily when he noticed the man tense a little at the sound of his daughter’s name.

“Thank you Prompto.”

“Oh! No problem Luna!” He chirped with a bright smile.

“Done?” The pair turned to face Cor and Prompto nodded bashfully, the Marshall turned and gave Clarus a nod of confirmation. The Shield turned from them and to the reapertails. 

“Alright. Let’s go!”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct froze and whipped around, observing Ignis and Gladio as they sat outside on the patio, enjoying a cup of tea and a small chat.

That pull…

He’d felt it, he was sure he had.

Umbra barked and nudged at his hand. He turned back to the dog and gave it a tired smile, bending down to pick up the stick and wave it around in Umbra’s face.

“You wanna go again?”

Umbra barked happily and danced around Noct as he raised his arm and threw the stick once more, watching his canine companion hunt it down with about as much fervour as Gladio trying to find the aisle that stocks cup noodles in a supermarket. 

Noct chuckled at that thought as he stood up and stretched his back, finding relief in how the muscles shifted and spine clicked back into a comfortable enough position. He listened to the steady hum of Ignis and Gladio’s conversation and the soft melodies of crickets beginning rather early. It wasn’t night time yet. Man if only it was night time, then he could go to sleep.

Sleep.

Noct closed his eyes and hummed happily at the thought of rest before another thought ferociously tore through his mind.

That tug, the prickle underneath his flesh. He knew it. He knew that feeling so well. But...neither of the guys had drawn their weapons, they didn’t have a reason to. So why had he felt it? Was he going delusional? Or…

Prompto?

His chest tightened painfully and he clutched the space where his heart lay, throat closing in on itself, leaving him struggling to breathe. Noct looked to where Insomnia lay, broken and battered by war and he allowed himself a moment of reprieve from grief to consider.

To hope.

Could...could Prompto still be alive?

He inhaled sharply and felt tears start to stab at his eyes. Oh Gods, if Prompto was alive, then what the hell was Noct doing? Why wasn’t he looking for him? He could be all alone out there, or worse, he could still be in the Crown City, trapped in a familiar place surrounded by daemons.

Umbra whined at Noct’s side, dropping the stick and licking the Prince’s left hand with worried eyes. He gave a soft laugh to break the low mood and picked up the stick again.

He could hope, yes, and he would. He had to hope that Prompto was alive, had to hope that maybe they’d see each other again...one day. If the blond was in the Crown City, than Noct would go in and look for him. Nothing would stop him from finding Prompto.

“Prompto’s alive.” He declared out loud. He knew Ignis and Gladio were looking at him because the hum of their conversation ceased, he knew Umbra understood him because the dog’s face became passive and compassionate. Noct nodded to himself and threw the stick once more in a perfect arc, bringing Umbra to life again and watching as the dog chased after it, tail wagging with renewed energy.

“Prompto’s alive.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Okay, so there were a lot more reapertails than the hunt description had let on. Seriously, Prompto was pretty sure he could sue for false advertisement. Actually, that might work, given how he was travelling with the King and Co. 

“Focus Prompto!”

Prompto was quite literally yanked out of his thoughts as Cor grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him out of the way of a very pissed off reapertail with a taste for vengeance.

“Th-Thanks!”

The Immortal gave a small nod before grunting as he blocked a heavy blow, leaving Prompto to weave his way around daemons and fire shots, piercing their hard skin and watching as the black goo that was their blood spill out of their wounds. The creatures reared up in anger and lashed out with pincers that Prompto barely managed to dodge.

He knew he was being reckless, throwing himself in the paths of rabid daemons, but he was travelling with the King and the King’s personal warriors, as well as the Oracle! Forgive him, but he wanted to prove his worth. He was desperate to prove how worthy he was of being here, being near royalty. Hell, he’d been desperate to show his worth from the moment he became friends with Noct.

But now?

Now he was really in the deep end, drowning in treacherous waters but he had to try. He had to try damn it, because he didn’t want to go this alone. Another daemon down and he quickly leaped around another two, managing to clip their legs but failing to notice how he’d jumped right into the path of an eager reapertail.

One moment he was giving some daemons hell, and the next it felt like he’d been thrown directly into the fiery pit. His right leg flared up painfully and he would’ve cried out in alarm if he hadn’t toppled face first into the ground, emitting a muffled yelp and groan of agony. He rolled over and took aim at the reapertail but before he could even pull the trigger a glorious angel descended from above and shot the bloody thing in the head.

Luna quickly pulled Prompto to his feet and gasped, horrified as she took in his wound.

“Hold still!” She told him before kneeling down and hovering her hands over the injury, a soft yellow light feeding warmth into his leg and healing slowly. Prompto shot at any daemons that approached them, scaring them off for the others to deal with.

Man, he was really useless wasn’t he? They’d been in battle for only a couple minutes and he’d needed a heal. He was supposed to be better than this, all that training he’d done with Gladio and the others, it was supposed to have made him a fighter. Someone who could stand beside royalty and say with certainty that they could protect the King. How the hell was he going to do that when he couldn’t even protect himself?

Luna rose and gave him a small smile before shuffling the gun he’d lent her around in her soft hands.

“Ready to go again?” She asked and Prompto was slightly taken aback by the amount of trust and certainty that lay in her eyes. How ready she was to stand beside him and pull the trigger countless times until her amateur fingers were sore, how ready she was to trust him, the man that had literally just leaped into the path of a daemon. 

She was crazy. 

But then again, so was he.

He could wallow in self-pity later, he decided. Right now though, he needed to help the others. That and the fact that was he was only slightly hungry, so he really wanted food. Therefore he wanted money, Gods above Prompto grimaced in the face of the system that was life in Eos before pulling the trigger again with more confidence as he gave Luna some tips and pointers on where to aim and when to fire.

Yeah he was pretty useless, but he was also fucking insane. So he’d let himself think, for as long as he wanted, that he could actually keep up. That he could actually help. And maybe one day, he actually would.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis massaged his hand as it ached and screamed at him, the weight of the pain travelling up his arm as he readied the Armiger once more. He knew. It was much weaker than it had once been. He was much weaker than he’d once been. He couldn’t do this for much longer, he had to stop lying to himself, to Clarus, Cor, to everyone. He needed to face the truth.

The Ring was too much of a burden now. He had to pass it on. 

But Noctis was so far away, and perhaps he would be for a while yet. Regis had no one to share this burden with. But he couldn’t carry it anymore, not if he wanted to live to see Noctis’ smiling face once more. 

Yes, he thought as he felled the last reapertail in a flurry of weaponry and light, he had to live to see Noctis again.

He had to pass on the Ring.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Perfect.” Clarus sighed happily as Cor grunted, the money from the hunt split between them as the sun began to fall over the land, coating the plains around them in a haunting darkness. The pair walked up to the group and displayed the gil.

“We’ve got enough to buy some supplies.”

“But not enough to stay the night anywhere?” Regis asked.

“Nope, looks like we’ll be camping.”

Clarus watched, a little stunned, as Luna lit up at that. Her eyes sparkling up excitedly as the idea hung over them. Prompto seemed to shrug the idea off, accepting it easily with a roll of his aching shoulders and flex of his fingers while Nyx nodded in agreement with the idea.

“Camping it is then.” Luna confirmed for them all and Clarus nodded. Regis sighed wearily and fiddled with the Ring of the Lucii as he turned back to the open road behind them, eyes searching in the distance and Clarus knew that look. He’d have to talk to Regis again, chase that look away.

“But, um...for now, do you guys think we can manage some food?” Prompto asked a little sheepishly. It seemed like Regis was about to respond when a low, long grumble erupted from somewhere within the group. Everyone looked at everyone with amused expressions as they each tried to decipher who that had come from.

While most turned to Prompto, naturally assuming it to be him, Clarus glanced at Cor who was suddenly very interested in the lamp post nearby. He smirked to himself and began to walk over to the diner.

 

“Come on then, let’s get some food.”


	12. By The Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS CHAPTER AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS AS WELL YOU'RE LEAVING SO MANY COMMENTS I'M DYING YOU GUYS ARE GREAT SO HERE THIS CHAPTER IS BASICALLY HERE TO SPOIL YOU ALL!!! ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I JUST EDITED IT SO RE-READ PLEASE IF YOU'VE READ IT ALREADY I'M SORRY I REALISED I FUCKED SOMETHING UP AFTER I POSTED AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

“I’ve never been camping before.”

Nyx glanced at the Oracle to his right, looking over Prompto’s head as the kid took another bite from his burger. Clarus looked up from his small meal of greasy fries and smirked proudly.

“Not to worry, your Highness. It’s not difficult or anything.” He explained vaguely and Luna looked at him with curious, wide blue eyes from the other side of the table.

“You like to camp, Lord Amicitia?”

“Perhaps it would be best to avoid titles, Lunafreya.” Regis cut over Clarus’ answer and ignored the man’s miffed glare.

“My apologies.” She stressed with a fretful frown, however Regis simply smiled warmly in response before going back to his food and eyeing off Cor’s who noticed and shuffled away from the King, throwing a warning gaze at the older man.

“I go camping with Gladio and Iris twice a year.” Clarus answered her earlier question and she beamed. Prompto paused while eating to internally reflect on the fact that this is probably where Gladio got his love of camping from, before shrugging and raising the straw of his raspberry milkshake to his lips.

“Your children?”

“Yes. Gladio’s my eldest, while Iris is fifteen.”

“They like to camp too?” Luna asked and Prompto jumped in with a gleeful smile.

“Gladio loves it! I bet he’s having the time of his life right now, camping with the guys.” His tone got a touch mournful towards the end and Luna was about to ask if he was alright but he beat her to it. The blond flushed, embarrassed and mumbled a small apology to Clarus as he turned back to his milkshake, swirling it around with his straw.

“Gladio does seem to enjoy it more than Iris.” Clarus huffed.

“Iris doesn’t like to camp?”

“Oh she loves it, in theory. Then practice kicks in and, well…” Clarus trailed off with a wave of his hands, trying to dismiss the matter.

“Iris doesn’t like bugs.” Cor supplied in the silence, swatting Regis’ hand away from his extra fries.

“Not all bugs. Some of the bugs aren’t that bad.” Clarus grumbled and Prompto grimaced.

“Sorry Lor-Clarus?” The Shield gave an affirming nod at the name, “Sorry, but I gotta disagree. All bugs are gross.”

“You don’t like bugs?” Nyx asked with a quirk of his eyebrow and Prompto turned on him with an exasperated and stressed frown.

“ _They’re gross!_ ” He insisted but the Glaive just snorted and went back to his food.

“So camping should be fun? Yes?” Luna asked.

The table turned to look at her, Regis, Clarus and Cor all sharing contemplative looks that left Luna worried. She put her burger ( _“You’ve never had one before Luna? Oh man! They’re great! Greasy heaven in a paper wrap!” “That...honestly doesn’t sound too great.” “Trust me.”_ ) down and considered them all individually.

“No?”

Regis shrugged unhelpfully, managing to swiftly steal one of Cor’s fries at last, avoiding meeting the man’s eyes as the Immortal burnt holes into the back of his head.

“Well, I suppose that all depends on your perspective Luna.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto stepped back and admired his and Cor’s handiwork. To be honest, he hadn’t expected them to get the tents up so fast, but it seemed like Cor was pretty handy with a hammer. With anything really, the man was super helpful. Like earlier with the reapertails, he saved Promtpo’s ass a bunch of times...and Prompto hadn’t thanked him. Had he? Maybe he had in battle, but Cor might’ve not heard him.

He turned around and waltzed over to where the Immortal sat, packing up their tools and checking the stakes were firmly set into the ground with one last smack of the hammer.

“Hey um...Cor?”

The older man turned around slightly with a questioning raise of his eyebrows and Prompto looked away from him to the ground, kicking at a small tuft of dry grass near his feet.

“Um, earlier, with the reapertails? Yeah uh, thanks for that.”

Cor stood up and Prompto looked at the man’s face and was surprised to find confusion. The Marshall crossed his arms and examined Prompto from head to toe; Prompto wasn’t sure what exactly he was trying to see but damn it was uncomfortable being under that steely gaze.

“Just watch your back next time.” Cor stated and before Prompto could stop himself he grinned back cheekily.

“That’s what you’re for right?” Ah shit.

 _Shouldn’t have said that, shouldn’t have said that._ Alarm bells blared in Prompto’s head and he fidgeted awkwardly, waiting for Cor to say something, anything, but the man just hummed and walked off towards the circle set up around a small fire. Prompto watched as he sat down on a log and lit up a cigarette. He stood there. In shock.

Was that it?

Was that...a hum of approval? Or disapproval? 

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, staring off into space like his brain had just up and walked off into last year, but he was eventually brought out of his thoughts with a soft nudge that had him yelping and leaping backwards away from the new presence.

“Woah.” Nyx breathed as he watched Prompto’s wild eyes search him for danger.

“O-Oh! Nyx, sorry, I was...um…” He stuttered and stumbled but then Nyx had the gall to chuckle. To _chuckle_ , and wow Prompto’s heart was flipping and racing and he hadn’t this much trouble talking to someone since Noct. Noct…

Noct with gorgeous blue eyes and surprisingly soft, black hair. The Prince of Lucis, all bad aim at an arcade game and childish pouts. Noct when he slept, tender lips parted and gentle breaths as he laid next to Prompto, so trusting and comfortable next to someone like him. Something like him.

Oh Gods, where was he now? He had to be okay, right? He was with Gladio and Ignis, of course he was okay. They must be safe, they were smart. They were probably hiding from the Empire. Would they meet up again? Would Noct be happy to see him? Well, they were best friends but he was probably more concerned about his dad and Luna at the momen-

“Prompto?” A hand landed reassuringly on his shoulder and he froze, suddenly realising how fast his breathing had become. He inhaled the cold night air shakily and shivered, casting his eyes up to Nyx who was looking at him with those handsome eyes and gorgeous face. Okay, this was just unfair. Here he was suffering multiple crises all at once while Noct was probably, most likely, asleep.

The _bastard._

“Here.” Prompto watched as Nyx shrugged off his jacket and placed it carefully around Prompto’s shoulders, pulling it tight. He gripped the edges of the jacket and looked up at Nyx, a warm flush painting his cheeks.

“Thanks.” He whispered and Nyx shrugged, saying something along the lines of there being no point in him catching a cold when he’d just gotten better. They stood there, silently, and instead of it being awkward, it was actually quite nice. They’d probably passed all boundaries of awkward situations when Prompto had woken up to Nyx running his fingers through Prompto’s blond hair.

“Come on, you’d be warmer by the fire.” Nyx suggested quietly.

“You’re just saying that ‘cause you’re cold now.” Prompto teased, gesturing to the jacket Nyx had lent him and blushing when the older man laughed softly, under his breath.

“Doesn’t make it less true.” Came a snarky reply and before Prompto could come up with ingenious, witty response that would knock Nyx’s socks right off his feet, the man had walked away. Prompto stood there for a beat longer, swallowed by the darkness of the night before slowly creeping back towards the fire and the space on one of the logs that Luna had saved for him.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cor caught a glimpse of the kid out of the corner of his eye as he sat down next to the Oracle with a grateful smile that prompted Luna to smile back at him as she continued to warm her hands by the fire. He needed to keep an eye on the kid, make sure he wasn’t getting himself into trouble. If what he saw today in battle was anything to go by, than the kid definitely needed supervision. At all times.

Cor couldn’t risk Prompto going off on his own and probably, walking into a pack of behemoths. The kid would be eaten alive. Yeah, he was gonna need supervision. Lots and lots of supervision. Maybe he could track the kid somehow. Hm.

“Alright, we should all go get some sleep.”

Cor turned to Clarus with a passive face and nodded in agreement, because honestly? He was beat. He felt dead tired and everything was flying over his head. He just wanted to lie down and get today over with. Is this what the Prince felt like all the time? If so, he was gonna have to cut the kid some serious slack the next time he saw him.

“But before we do that, I want to ask you something Prompto.”

The blond looked up and at Clarus, tilting his head slightly like some sort of curious bird and all Cor could think of for a split second was _‘chocobo’._

“What exactly did you do in the Citadel?”

Prompto went rigid, eyes staring dead at Clarus but seemingly beyond him as well and Cor tuned in to how the kid swallowed nervously and how his hands started to tremble slightly. Maybe now wasn’t a good time.

“You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to Prompto.” Luna tried to reassure him but it seemed like the kid had already made his decision.

“It’s fine Luna. That...back then, that was...um…” He stumbled and stuttered, bringing his hands together and fiddling with his fingers as he desperately tried to find a way to say it. To say what happened. What they did to him.

“Does it have something to do with the Empire?”

Prompto jerked his gaze up at Nyx and gave a small nod, feeling himself become lost in those considerate eyes.

“It’s...back then my dad...he kinda...he’s the man that made MTs, and he wanted me to...be one too.” He took a shuddering breath and barely even noticed how Luna shuffled closer to him for support.

“So those chains...were a result of that?” Clarus asked.

“Yeah.”

“But other MTs we’ve fought don’t have them.” Cor pointed out, crossing his arms and sitting back.

“No, they wouldn’t. They’re just troopers, I was...I was supposed to be something else.” Prompto mumbled, dropping his gaze down to the floor and scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, taking in deep breaths to steady himself as white lights flashed behind his eyes and tubes were plunged down his throat.

“Something else?” Regis prompted and the blond raised his head, meeting those soft, weathered eyes and sighing. They had a right to know, he was travelling with them. And they’d pretty much seen it already, so there was no use in hiding it. Right?

“He said, my dad,” He clarified, “he uh, he said I was going to be, well I was supposed to be, um...general.”

Everyone fell silent and for a second it even seemed like all noise had been sucked up into some great, giant vacuum that Prompto desperately wished would suck him up too. Let him roll around in that eternal silence where not even the choir could find him.

“So basically, you can kick ass pretty well.”

Prompto looked up at Nyx in shock, with wide eyes and a stunned face before nodding with great difficulty.

“Um, I guess?”

“You guess? Don’t you remember what happened back in the Citadel?” Nyx asked with a slightly playful smirk that left Prompto floundering.

“I do! It just-it wasn’t that impressive.” He mumbled.

“Not impressive? Prompto Argentum you saved our lives.”

Regis smiled as bright, embarrassed eyes met his and Prompto’s face flushed.

“Um, I didn’t-”

“I would hope you did, otherwise that means this is the afterlife, and so far it’s pretty shit.” Clarus pointed out with a gruff cheek that had Cor elbowing his side.

“I’m offended Clarus, I thought you would be happy to spend the afterlife with friends.” Regis pouted and Prompto swore he heard Luna giggle next to him.

“Oh yeah, ‘cause you’re a bundle of joy.” Clarus ficked Regis on the forehead and the former monarch shot him a glare sharper than Iggy’s daggers.

“This is nice.” Luna whispered to Prompto as the others continued to bicker with Nyx poking at the fire, smirk firmly planted on his face. Prompto turned to her and gave her a wobbly grin.

“Yeah.” He whispered back and she placed a hand on his arm with a supportive squeeze.

“It doesn’t matter where you are from Prompto,” She told him, eyes hardening with certainty, “you are here now.”

Another squeeze and another smile. 

Prompto sat there silently, eyes watering only a tiny bit, as he basked in the peace of the moment. He really was lucky, to have met these people, to know them, to have the Oracle by his side insisting that he call her Luna as she squeezed his arm comfortingly. Gods, he was lucky.

“Quick question.”

Prompto turned back to Nyx who had stopped poking the fire and was now staring at Prompto with a keen, curious gaze.

“Shoot.”

“You don’t use that power a lot right? I know you wouldn’t have wanted to use it in Insomnia before the fall, but earlier with the reapertails, you didn’t use it then. How come?”

“Oh, um, it’s not really…safe to use it.” Luna gave him another squeeze.

“Is it because of the Scourge?” She asked and he looked back at her.

“The Scourge?”

Nyx and Luna shared a concerned look and Luna shuffled back, taking on a stronger demeanour as she straightened her spine. Prompto flashed back to the car trip to Hammerhead and suddenly felt very nervous.

“The black liquid that’s inside you Prompto, that’s the Scourge.” She told him as Prompto noticed that the others had fallen silent, listening in.

“I know...it's just...” He echoed with confusion.

“Just what?”

“They told me it was some kind of serum, and to be honest...it's kinda more than just a liquid...thing.” He frowned.

“What do you mean?”

"Well-"

However, before anyone could say anything or ask Prompto anymore question, the King stood up and looked to the tents with a tired gaze.

“May I suggest we all get some rest?” He asked in a soft, yet commanding tone, effectively ending the conversation.

“You tired Reggie?” Clarus asked, fighting off a yawn of his own.

“Yes, I’d think we all were after today.”

Everyone but Cor nodded wearily and made their way over to the tents.

“You’re not coming Cor?”

The man waved them all off and summoned his katana.

“I’ll go on guard.”

“Cor,” Regis frowned, “we’re at a haven.”

“So?”

Regis sighed and shrugged it off before disappearing into one of the tents with Clarus following behind. Luna looked around awkwardly.

“Will I be sharing with one of you two?” She asked.

Prompto flushed a deep red, both options of who he'd be sharing a tent with leaving him stumbling and tripping over words in his mind, but luckily Nyx covered for him.

“Nope, you get a tent all to yourself Princess.” He pointed at Luna’s tent and she frowned.

“That hardly seems fair.” The glaive shrugged and began to disappear into his and Prompto's tent.

“Take the matter up with the Marshall.”

Prompto and Luna stood there, both watching Cor as the man looked over the plains with sharp eyes, before awkwardly saying goodnight to each other and shuffling into their tents, leaving the Marshall to sit alone with the cicadas and crickets as the stars gleamed sky above them. Cor sat back with a sigh and let his eyes slip shut for a moment, embracing the short moment of peace in the night time before readying himself once more, watching over the land as the soft sounds of gentle snores and breathing began.


	13. Rude Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HOO BOI WELL THEN I DIDN'T SLEEP AGAIN HO SHIT SORRY BOUT THAT Y'ALL BUT HERE HAVE ANOTHER CHAP  
> This chapter is dedicated to the entirety of the Hell Army. I love all of you so dearly and you definitely know who you are <3

Noct flipped the journal over in his hands as he paced up and down the porch in the light of a new day. He had felt it. That tug. That meant Prompto had to be alive. He had to be. So maybe...maybe Luna and his dad were too? He shook his head and ground his footsteps to a halt. No. No if Insomnia had fallen, it was more than likely his dad would’ve too. Tears welled up and he wiped them away. He was done crying. 

“You gonna write something or are you gonna pace some more?”

Noct sent an annoyed glare at Gladio who shrugged it off and crossed his giant arms. Ignis and him were waiting, loitering by the steps of the porch with Monica. All of them ready to go, to search out the Tomb of the Wise.

Noct turned away from them and uncapped the pen Ignis had lent him, Umbra sat down by his feet patiently as Noct put pen to paper. He hadn’t planned what to write like he used to, how he’d wait a couple days until he had news worthy of Luna’s time. Now? Now he just wanted to know.

_Are you alive?_

The three short words were stuffed under Umbra’s harness and the dog barked happily. Umbra didn’t wait for Noct to pat him goodbye, he just took off, bolting down the steps over to the plains and suddenly disappearing from sight.

“Never seen a dog do that before.” Monica quipped before walking away, gesturing for the boys to follow her with a sharp wave of her hand.

Noct hummed and made to follow her before being stopped with a hard clap on his shoulder.

“You’re feeling better?” Gladio asked gruffly as Ignis hovered by the two of them.

Noct considered them both, considered the question and smiled.

“Yeah. Better.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx woke with a start, shaking as he came to in the tent. He waited for his eyes to adjust, taking deep breaths and slowing down his racing thoughts, dismissing the nightmares and looking to his left. Prompto lay asleep next to him, arms curled up tight against his chest, hands tucked under his chin. His hair was no longer up in perky little tufts and instead it fell flat against his head, soft strands gliding over his face and shuffling around with each little puff of air the blond breathed out.

Nyx was a little awestruck at how Prompto was able to look so soft when he’d been made from sharp lines and and even sharper implements. How his eyelashes fluttered gently as he slept and Nyx wondered if he was having nightmares. He frowned and sat up, focusing on Prompto’s closed eyes with a determined squint. Was that...did the blond wear mascara or were his eyes just like that?

He leaned closer, trying to distinguish if it really was mascara before hearing voices outside. He turned away from Prompto to the listen. It sounded like the Marshall and Lord Amicitia were up. Nyx stifled a short yawn and stretched, careful not to disturb Prompto as he moved out of the tent and into the fresh morning. 

The surprisingly cold air bit at his skin and he couldn’t suppress his shiver. Where the hell was his jacket? Oh. Prompto was still wearing it. Sod must be sleeping well, all nice and warm.

“Oh, you’re up.”

Nyx nodded in lieu of a ‘good morning’ to the King’s Shield, slowly noting how the pair were eating food.

“Come on, join us.” Lord Amicitia waved him over, turning to him with fresh toast in his hand like some mythical miracle. Nyx wasted no time in sitting down, gratefully murmuring his thanks and felt a bit unnerved over how the other man smirked.

“Hungry?”

“A bit, sir.”

“Oh cut the ‘sir’ crap, makes me feel old.” Lord Amicitia scolded him before eating more of his toast and Nyx flashed back to his car ride with Captain Drautus.

“Sorry Lord Amicitia.” Apparently that wasn’t good either since the Shield grimaced.

“Just Clarus. And you can call him Cor.” Clarus waved at Cor as the Immortal swallowed the last of his toast with a frown.

“I don’t remember telling him he could.”

“Well I did. Suck it up, Runt.” Clarus smirked and Nyx turned to Cor with a quirk of his eyebrow.

“‘Runt’?” He asked and Cor’s frown deepend.

“Shut up.” Cor snapped back and it felt a little weird, to be talking casually with the members of the royal circle, but it was also…kind of nice. The same kind of nice he’d felt when he’d fallen asleep last night to Prompto’s soft snores, hums and murmurs. It just felt...comfortable. Strangely comfortable.

One of the tents flapped open behind them and they all turned to see Regis emerge, wiping sleep from his eyes and yawning loudly, cracking his stiff old joints with practiced movements.

“Morning Regis.” Clarus chirped as Cor and Nyx both nodded mutely. Regis nodded back and rubbed his left hand, eyes clouding over with something dark that Nyx couldn’t identify.

“Morning.” He murmured, turning around to look in the sun’s direction and frown. He continued to rub at his hand. To fiddle with the Ring of the Lucii.

“Something wrong?” Cor called out and Regis turned back to them, suddenly emerging as their King instead of companion. Nyx straightened his spine and awaited orders.

“I’m afraid...there’s something I must tell you.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto groaned as he felt himself get shaken awake rather rudely. Damn, he’d been having a great dream too, he’d just gotten to meet a chocobo for the first time...the feathers were so soft...the grass so green…

He felt himself get kicked in the back and he yelped, blue eyes flying open and whipping around angrily to see who’d kicked him.

“The fuck-?!” He cut himself off before he finished, eyes taking in the group that had cluttered around the doorway to the tent.

“It worked.” Cor said with a smug tone and Prompto knew, he _knew_ Cor was the one that had kicked him. The jerk. How the hell had he managed to kick him though? Had he walked around to the other side of the tent and kicked through the tent’s fabric? Or maybe-

“My apologies for the rude awakening Prompto, but I have to speak with all of you.”

Prompto took in Regis’ worried expression and resigned himself to consciousness for the rest of the day. He liked his sleep, especially when he had good dreams, which wasn’t often. It wasn’t like he had a lot of nightmares, it was more that he just...didn’t dream. It was weird. He nodded and pulled the blankets off, shivering at the cold air and pulling Nyx’s jacket tighter around his boy and oh. He was still wearing Nyx’s jumper. Whoops.

Everyone cleared away from the tent and Prompto stumbled out, almost tripping over his own feet and falling when a strong hand gripped his shoulder. Cor waited until he was steady to let go and make his way over to the logs they’d gathered last night for seats, sitting down without a word about what had just happened and Prompto took that to mean he shouldn’t mention it. He stretched and looked to see Luna smiling, she perked up a bit as his gaze landed on her and gestured to the remaining space on the logs.

“Shall we?” 

Prompto gave her a lopsided grin.

“Why not?”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis waited until everyone had sat down before beginning, wringing his hands before interlocking and unlocking his fingers repeatedly.

“You wanted to tell us something?” Clarus prompted and he resigned himself to fate. It was best to tell them rather than lie and try to keep up some pathetic guise for as long as he could.

“Yes.”

He looked up and curled his lips inwards before sighing.

“I am no longer able to carry the Ring.”

Silence faced him and he looked at all their faces. Confusion, fear, disbelief. He couldn’t blame them for feeling this way. He wished he hadn’t said anything, that he hadn’t needed to, but he had. So this had to happen.

“What do you mean?” Clarus asked and bless his soul, he was trying to be brave, but he couldn’t be forever.

“The Ring is a burden I can no longer afford to carry, if I wish to see Noctis again.”

That seemed to do the trick. Prompto’s face went hollow and Luna’s turned fearful. All of them wore their own display of shock towards the news. The news of how close he was to death. To departure.

“But...how?” Prompto asked.

“I am simply too old to continue carrying this burden.” Regis told him gently but no matter how gentle he made his voice, Prompto would still wince and look to the ground.

“But, we can’t do anything about that. Can we?” Nyx asked.

“There is something I can do.” Regis looked to Nyx and met his eyes with a hardened gaze, “I can pass the Ring on.”

“But no one else can carry it!” Clarus protested.

“I have talked with the Rulers of the Past, we have...come to an agreement.” He said warily as he noted how close Clarus was to blowing up, to releasing all that fear and distress with angry words.

“What _kind_ of agreement?” Cor asked, a dark frown carved into his forehead.

“I must never again carry the Ring of the Lucii.”

“So you do this...and you’re no longer King?” Nyx tried to clarify.

“Yes.”

“So...Noct is King now?” Prompto asked tentatively and Regis gave a small nod. Ashamed over how he was thrusting all the responsibility of ruling a fallen kingdom onto his son. His wayward, loving son.

“He’s not ready to rule!” Clarus argued.

“I am aware of that Clarus, but...I wish to see him again.”

He watched as Clarus caved in to his demands, understanding all too well the need to see his child, his family, once more. To hold him and comfort him and be Noctis’ father instead of Ruler. Instead of King. Clarus slumped, face sagging with a weight Regis hadn’t seen in the man in years before sighing. A sigh of agreement and defeat. 

“So what’s the plan?” He asked wearily and Regis straightened his spine.

“I’m going to pass the Ring on.”

“Sorry your Majesty, but Prince Noctis isn’t exactly here to take the Ring for you. And it’s probably going to be a while until he can.” Cor pointed out, voice softening as he glanced to Clarus with a worried dip of his eyebrows.

“I am aware Cor.”

“...So what’re you gonna do?” Prompto asked and Regis smiled.

“I shall pass it onto someone else, someone outside the royal bloodline.”

“Um, won’t that ‘someone’ die?” Nyx asked, concern tightening his forehead as he fiddled with his kukris.

“No, I have been assured by the Lucii. They are willing to see it move to an outsider for the sake of being passed onto Noctis.”

“Okay.”

Unsteady silence fell over them, the gravity of all the news weighing down their minds. Regis being so unexpectedly close to death when they were sure he had some more time left in him. Breaking an age-old tradition and passing the Ring of the Lucii to one not of the royal bloodline. Granting someone else all that power. Luna, who had sat patiently, silently, the entire time, gathering all the facts, finally spoke.

“Who do you have in mind?”

Everyone turned back to him and Regis frowned. He’d given it careful thought, naturally he’d thought of Clarus first, and then he’d thought again. Clarus would only use the Ring’s power to summon his weapon, leaving the Ring to rot. The more power that wasn’t used, the more it was likely to eat away at Clarus, all the raw magic rotting his flesh. No, Regis couldn’t pass it onto him. He needed someone who would use the Ring frequently, who would depend on the Ring and its magic. And that’s when it hit him. And that’s when he decided.

“I have decided on you,” Regis met his chosen Ring-bearer with steely, determined eyes,

“Nyx Ulric.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct groaned as the last daemon fell to the ground with a strangled cry...or was that a gurgle? He couldn’t tell anymore, they were all starting to sound the same to him. 

“Nice work out there.”

He turned to Monica and nodded quietly.

“Thanks.”

“I see I’ve got no need to worry about you.”

Noct turned back to her, dismissing his engine blade with a flash of blue light.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, after everything that’s happened to you, to Eos, I was a little worried about how you’d be coping.” Monica grinned, “I even wondered if you’d taken to liquor.”

“Ew, no.” Noct scoffed and kicked at a patch of dirt, the dust billowing up around his shoes and dissolving into the small breeze that played with Monica’s hair.

“Yeah, I know. But I don’t have to worry anymore, you’re doing okay.”

Noct looked up with a sceptical frown.

“You think?”

“Your Highness, you’re doing a lot better than me, and I don’t have to deal with royal bloodlines and destiny, or what-not.” Monica snorted before walking off, heading on her way towards the Tomb, leaving Noct to stand there and ponder quietly, losing himself inside his head the more he thought.

“Destiny huh?”

_Only the True King, anointed by the Crystal…_

He lifted his gaze to the rolling clouds that swayed out of his reach, no matter how hard he stretched to meet them. To run his fingers through their weightlessness and finally be away from all this chaos and reality. To find a moment where he could be a little kid again and run around in endless dreamscapes with Carbuncle, losing himself in giddy bliss as he felt the weight of his bloodline get lifted from his shoulders. 

He wished ‘destiny’ wasn’t this difficult.

 

_...can purge our Star of its Scourge._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEAH I KNOW NYX IS RING-BEARER! I HAD TO, I WAS LIKE I CAN'T SEE ANYONE ELSE COZ CLARUS, COR AND PROMPTO WOULDN'T WARP AND LUNA IS ALREADY GOING THROUGH ENOUGH SHIT WITH BEING THE ORACLE AND GENTIANA NOT RETURNING HER CALLS SO YEAH. IT'S NYX! WOO!


	14. Your Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay I sacrificed more sleep but _WORTH IT_

“And you’re sure this is safe?”

Nyx frowned at Regis, eyes hesitant and wary and Regis couldn’t help but feel guilty. He wasn’t sure if Nyx was accepting this responsibility because he wanted to or he felt that he was being ordered to, and he felt truly sorry. The look in Nyx’s eyes, the glaive must know of stories of the Ring, he must be terrified to place such a burden upon his shoulders, but he was doing it anyway. Again, Regis wondered if he was making this decision of his own free will.

“I have been assured that it will be.”

He felt more guilt wash over him as he saw Nyx gulp nervously, trying to hide his fear and concern   
and act nonchalant. Regis understood his fear, he too had been scared to carry the Ring. To know of its power and burden. He pulled the Ring off his finger and felt immediate relief, ignoring the concerned stares of those that stood around them, watching as he reached out to Nyx and dropped the Ring in the glaive’s outstretched hand.

Nyx held the Ring up and frowned.

“And you’re sure it’s going to work?”

“Hurry up Ulric, it’s not like it’s going to bite you.” Clarus snapped gruffly but the tight tone of concern in his voice made it hard to bite back. Regis threw him a soft frown and Clarus sighed, crossing his arms and angling his body away.

“True, but I don’t exactly want to be going out in a blaze of glory, y’know?” Nyx quipped back dryly and Regis squeezed his eyes shut as he recalled an inflamed arm and shrill, dying screams.

“Well? You going to put that damn thing on or not?” Cor asked and Nyx sighed, shuffling and gripping the Ring tightly.

“Fine, fine.” Nyx went to finally put the Ring on when a soft voice spoke up from his left.

“You’ll...You’ll be fine right?” Prompto asked before turning to Regis, “The Lucii, they won’t turn on him or anything?”

“They won’t Prompto, it’s fine.” Regis assured him and watched as the blond threw Nyx a concerned and scared gaze before fighting it back and nodding to Regis.

“Okay...I trust you.”

Regis stared at Prompto stunned before feeling a smile spread across his old, withered face. To hear those words from Prompto, so genuine, so completely honest...he didn’t know he’d needed to hear that until he had.

“Thank you Prompto.”

The blond brightened and for the sole second that all attention was pulled away from Nyx to stare at Prompto’s radiant smile, the glaive decided ‘fuck it’ and shoved the Ring on.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Everything went still. Colour was removed from the world and Nyx recoiled in shock, instantly trying to summon his kukris to defend himself but they wouldn’t come to him. He flailed for a bit, only _slightly_ terrified, when booming voices began to echo all around him.

_Nyx Ulric, you have been granted the power of the Lucii._

“I guess?” 

Shit, he should probably be a little more careful about what he says. He looked at the figures frozen around him, how they stood as still as statues when seconds ago they’d been talking and breathing, living with minute movements.

_You have been chosen by King Regis Lucis Caelum to bear the weight of the Ring until such a time that it can be passed onto the next in line for the throne._

“Yes.” Nyx confirmed, stepping closer to Prompto and observing his warm, stagnant smile.

_You are being entrusted with its power, we ask for your word to use this power to protect the people and their future. To guard and guide them. Do we have your word?_

Nyx came to a stop, eyes gliding over Prompto, slowly tracing the constellations in his freckles before softening with the confirmation. He would. He would protect this. Nyx raised his eyes and looked at all of them. He would protect them. As best he could.

His eyes fell back to Prompto who stood stationary with his jacket hanging loosely over his frame. The sleeves nearly covering his hands, leaving only his fingertips to poke out at the ends.

“You have my word.”

Time resumed and it was like Nyx had never moved, suddenly finding himself back where he was. His arms fell to his sides and he looked at Regis who stood stunned.

“That was fast.” Clarus commented and Nyx shrugged.

“Everything is in order?” Regis asked and Nyx checked.

There was a new weight on him, but he couldn’t distinguish where exactly. It was just...everywhere. It wasn’t consuming him, but it was prickling at his skin, pinching his muscles and gripping the bone of his finger of which the Ring was placed on. The thrum of magic was stronger than before and he felt like he could call down the heavens and rage thunder and lightning upon the land with a single flick of his wrist, although magic had always been more Crowe’s kind of thing.

“Yeah,” He breathed,

“We’re good.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Just saying, this sword better be worth all the trouble!” Gladio grunted as he fought off another daemon.

“It’s a part of the royal Armiger, _Gladio!_ ” Ignis chided, throwing his daggers and pinning a daemon down before landing the finishing blow with his lance.

“I’m just saying!”

“Guys! _Enough!_ ” Noct groaned as he cut down another creature and moved to bring down another with a warp-strike.

“Yes, your Majesty.” Gladio grumbled and Noct smirked, moving past Monica as she sighed to herself and slayed another beast.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Clarus threw the bags into the boot of the car and paused as he noticed one he hadn’t seen before, he looked up and saw only Lunafreya closest to him.

“Lady-ah, sorry, Luna? You know what this is?”

Luna leaned over the edge of the car’s boot and studied the bag quietly.

“I think Cid gave it to Prompto.”

“Cid?”

“If my memory serves me correctly, then yes.” Clarus hesitated for a second before reaching in and pulling out the bag, feeling it with his hands and turning to Luna.

“What’s in it?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know.”

Clarus leaned back, searching the haven and spotting Prompto helping Cor pack up a tent.

“Blondie!” Prompto started and leapt up, much to Cor’s dismay as the tent sprung back up, whipping him in the face. Prompto stood frozen in shock, biting down on his lips as Cor sat still before finally turning around and levelling Clarus with a glare. The Shield didn’t even bother fighting back his triumphant smirk, the grin causing Cor to tighten his glare even more and Prompto felt awkwardly as he moved around the Immortal over to where Clarus and Luna stood.

“What’s up?”

Clarus turned away from his staring competition with Cor and gestured to the bag.

“You got this from Cid?”

“Oh! Oh yeah! He uh, he lent me some tools and stuff to help do maintenance on our weapons.” Prompto explained.

“Nice.” Clarus whistled and put the bag back in the car but Prompto reached in for it and unzipped it giddily.

“He also gave me this beauty!”

Clarus took a step back as Prompto whipped around with a camera in his hands. The thing was old but it seemed to work fine as the flash went off and the picture began to print itself out onto the instant film.

“Haven’t seen one of those in a while.” He remarked, blinking as his eyes tried to fight off the spot of light the flash had left.

“I’ve never seen one! I mean, they’re pretty cool, I’ve seen pictures in magazines, but I never thought I’d get to own one myself! Cid said he never used it, and neither did Cindy, so he gave it to me! Sweet right?”

Before Clarus could answer Regis appeared with an amused little smile, which was quickly wiped off his face as Prompto snapped another picture, the flash blinding the former King who rubbed at his eyes, desperately trying to clear them.

“We gonna start leaving Reg?” Clarus asked as Regis emerged, blinking away the light like Clarus still was, and nodded.

“Okay then, let’s move out.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto plonked himself down in the back seat with Luna, depositing the camera beside him, and watched as Nyx climbed in the driver’s seat with the Ring of the Lucii gleaming on his finger. The car started and they pulled away from the haven, following the other car down the highway in steady silence. Prompto glanced at Luna who smiled but with a small frown on her face. Prompto frowned back and redirected his concern at Nyx.

“It doesn’t hurt, does it?” He asked, leaning forward through to the front seat.

“What?” Nyx started, jumping out of his thoughts to focus on what Prompto was saying.

“The Ring, it’s not hurting you?”

“Nah, don’t worry.” Prompto pouted.

“That’s not overly reassuring.”

Nyx smirked and flicked his gaze to the corner of his eyes, staring at the blond who shuffled awkwardly from her perched, leaning forward so he could see Nyx.

“It’s fine Prompto.”

“Shouldn’t you be looking at the road?” Prompto asked, redirecting the conversation in the hopes it would redirect Nyx’s gaze so the glaive wouldn’t notice his blush (too late).

“Shouldn’t you have given me my jacket back by now?”

Prompto flushed a brilliant red and started stumbling over apologies when Luna pulled him back into the back with her, leaving Nyx to smirk to himself and look back at the road.

“It’s okay Prompto, you should keep the jacket. It makes you look...charming.” She tried.

“ _Charming?!_ ” The blond squeaked, face flushing more brightly than before and Luna fluttered over him, trying to calm him down but her worried demeanour was broken for Prompto as soon as he noticed her attempting to hide a small smile.

He pouted playfully and picked up the camera, quickly taking a picture of Luna’s surprised face and leaving her laughing quietly, squinting through the effect of the flash at him and he grinned.

“Think we can send some pics to Noct?”

Luna beamed.

“I don’t see why not.”

Prompto’s smile grew and he turned to look out the window, watching the scenery fly past in glorious, streaked hues. Maybe, if he sent Noct some pictures, Noct would feel a bit better. He knew Noct must be hurting right now, thinking the worst. It was the least he could do to help Noct feel happy, then he’d meet Noct again at some point and he’d get Luna to help convince Noct to make him best man at their wedding. His heart clenched but he forced himself to keep smiling as the scenery outside started to fade away from his immediate thoughts.

He sighed and propped his chin onto his hand, leaving his free one to fiddle with the camera, passing time and making him feel grounded in the world outside his head.

He missed Noct.


	15. King's Orders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS!! Sorry this took so long but life has been hectic and will probably continue to do so for a while if I'm being honest. I hope you can understand if updates are MUCH slower in the future. I love you guys and I hope you guys love this chapter!!!

Noct was that kind of person where just about every moment shared with him was either a nap-induced haze or a fluttering sort of calm squashed firmly down in the depths of your stomach. He had that effect on people, and by people, Prompto meant himself. Always dancing, balancing on the edge of something more as words would ignite on his tongue but no. Fuck that. 

He couldn’t do that to Noct.

Noct loved Luna, not him. It was as simple as that.

There would never be a him and Noct. At least...nothing more than friends. Which was enough! It had to be.

Prompto pulled himself out of his daze and managed to bring himself to attention quickly enough to catch the equipment thrown at him. It hit him square in the chest, winding him slightly as his arms hastily wrapped around the materials. 

“You alright?”

Prompto glanced to his left and sent Nyx a small, reassuring smile as he regained his equilibrium. 

“Yup!”

Nyx quirked an eyebrow skeptically but didn’t have time to comment further before more equipment was thrown his way. Luna snorted at his startled face and winked at Prompto who felt a grin ease its way onto his face. It felt so natural, sharing these small smirks and smiles with Luna. He wondered if Luna was like this with Noct too. No wonder he loved her.

“Clarus, are you sure we really need all this?” Regis asked with an unsure frown, taking in the sheer volume of purchases Clarus was intending to make. Cor shook his head with a pained expression.

“Always best to be prepared.” Clarus replied gruffly.

“And what are we preparing for?” Regis inquired. 

“Anything and everything at this point.” Came the clipped response and Regis decided it was better not to press on. He turned to Prompto and Luna with a slight glint in his eyes that bloomed into a startling, cheeky radiance. 

“Why don’t you two dump that in the trolley and go take some more pictures for Noctis?”

Prompto blinked and looked at Luna who was staring at the Ki- _former_ King with mild shock.

“But-”

“Go on, run along now.” Regis smiled with a wave of his hand, frowning as the two stood still for a moment longer, “Kings orders.”

“I thought you said you weren’t King anymore.” Prompto replied fluidly, regretting the cheek as soon as it left his mouth but he was pleasantly surprised to find Regis smirking at him and Clarus snort as he scanned the shelves for any products he’d missed. Wasn’t likely though, since he’d basically cleared out the whole freaking store.

“I thought you said I was still your King, I’m offended Prompto.” 

A bubbly laugh flowed out of the lithe blonde as he followed Luna’s example and placed their purchases in the trolley.

“Okay, we’re gone!”

Prompto turned to meet Luna waiting for him, beaming smile and glowing, soulful blue eyes pulling him by her side as they exited the store and looked around.

“What do you want to do?”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

He knew that face. He knew it all too well. He watched Clarus’ frown deepen between his brows and he sighed for the fifth time, hoping that this time, it would grab the Shield’s attention. It did.

“Don’t scold me Regis.”

“I wasn’t going to do anything of the sort.” He huffed, standing as straight as he could for a pansexual. He studied Clarus for a moment longer before sighing once more, briefly wondering if he’d picked this habit up from Ignis.

“You’re worrying.”

“Of course I’m worrying! You just sent the Ora-!”

“ _Clarus!_ ” Cor hissed, eyes glancing around the store, checking to see if anyone had heard his outburst. Clarus followed his gaze before returning it to Regis and dropping his voice to whisper.

“You just sent the Oracle out there with next to no protection!”

“No offense, but I think Prompto can protect Luna pretty well. If what he managed to do uh... _before_ , is anything to go by.” Nyx chirped in, adjusting his grip on the materials he was being forced to carry (this was not in the job description).

“You can never be-”

“Too careful, yes we know Clarus.” Regis turned away from Clarus’ pointed glare before the man continued scanning the shelves.

“We can’t afford to be reckless.”

“I know.” Regis whispered in response, feeling a bite to Clarus’ words that he couldn’t help but infer was meant for him. An awkward silence fell over them and Regis had to fight back the urge to shuffle around aimlessly on the spot, noting how Cor revelled in the silence, the cheeky Runt.

“You know,” Nyx started and the former King turned to listen to him, “I didn’t think being a Glaive meant... _this_.” The younger man nodded to his situation, arms full with Clarus’ selections and Regis lifted an eyebrow.

“You didn’t read the terms and conditions?”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto crouched down low on the small mound of dirt just across from the rest-stop, lifting the camera to his eye and scanning the land. Lighting was pretty good, though there was a bit of a glare, but...it didn’t really matter the quality. What mattered was the content and what that meant. 

They were alive.

And he had to let Noct know that, in as many pictures as he could. After all, a picture paints a thousand words.

“How long have you been taking pictures?”

Prompto stilled, finger poised and ready to capture the shot.

“Um, I started when I was seven so it’s been awhile I guess.”

“You’re very good.”

“Thanks!”

“But I have to ask, what drew you to photography?” Prompto turned to look at her, finding her squatting beside him, arms resting on her thighs as she observed him. Why had he chosen photography? Why photography? The choir shrieked but he silenced it surprisingly quickly for once.

He’d chosen photography because...it was a safer way of shooting things. When he shot the target, they didn’t die. The pacifist’s gun. He’d loved it. The familiar sensation of setting off a trigger but instead of screaming for mercy, people chimed “Cheese!”. It was...a happier alternative. But he’d also chosen it because…

It was easier to remember.

If he had physical proof, than he could remember things a lot more easily, like, the way the sun rose over Insomnia in the Spring. The way Ignis smiled when he thought he’d finally nailed those Tenebrae treats, and then the way he hid his disappointment when Noct rejected them. The way Gladio wiped the sweat off his brow as Noct laid collapsed on the ground, exhausted and just about ready to pass out. The way Noct flushed and raised his hand to block out the camera lens. The way Prompto had lost weight. He could remember it all.

_But what had it looked like when his mother had smiled?_

_What had it looked like when she’d held him tight on rainy days and taught him not to fear the sky, but embrace it?_

_What had he looked like before? When he had been human?_

_He can’t remember._

“Prompto?”

Luna wore a strained frown of concern on her face, her hand hesitating in the space between them, unsure whether it was better to reach out and place itself on his shoulder or return itself to her thigh. Instead it remained hovering and so Prompto reached out to her, sitting down and holding her hand in the space between them with a bright smile.

“I’m okay!”

“Prom-”

“Let’s see, I guess I like taking pictures ‘cause it’s good. For me. Um...it’s like it’s easier? I guess, to um, remember stuff.” He cursed how he fumbled, suddenly finding his grip on Luna’s hand reassuring. Luna frowned at him but succumbed to the conversation.

“You have trouble remembering?”

“Uh, sometimes. Mostly stuff from my childhood, but that’s normal, right?” 

Luna considered it and found that she too had snippets missing from her childhood. So she decided to agree with him, even if she found herself wondering how much, exactly, he could remember. She watched as Prompto let go of her hand, snapped a picture and then stood up, balancing himself on his heels as he looked out over the plains around them.

She was about to break the silence, to say something so she could alleviate the tension she saw gripping Prompto’s shoulders when a sharp, decisive bark echoed out from her left. The both of them turned and Luna lit up, jumping out of her squat with glee.

“Umbra!”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct flopped down on the bed, listening to the shack creak ominously. If he listened closely enough, he could hear Monica and the guys talking strategy downstairs. He should probably join in but honestly? He didn’t have the motivation to do anything but sleep. He just wanted to lie down and never have to get up ever again. He didn’t want to bear this weight.

Gaining the Sword of the Wise had, apparently, been a big win for them. Something they’d needed to brighten up their sombre mood, but in all honesty? The Sword was just a sword. It cut, it slashed, it appeared in his hand with a burst of blue light like his engine blade, but it didn’t make him wiser. Well, at least it didn’t feel like it had.

But if he kept going for just a bit longer...then maybe he would see Luna and Prompto again.

He smiled, rolling over and pulling the pillow more tightly around his head, falling asleep into dreams of endless sunshine and eyes of blue and violet.


	16. You Will Be Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry if this chapter feels a bit all over the place but I feel a bit all over the place at the moment. Also, sorry it took ages to update but school has been really overwhelming. I've been mega stressed, not gonna lie, and it's kinda been affecting my motivation and productivity rate. Not something you wanna hear when you've got all this shitty homework due but oh well. Anyways, I'm really grateful to you guys because I went back and read all your comments today and it really helped motivate me to not only write again for this fic but also write a 3 page practice essay which was entirely unnecessary but it helped me feel better about myself. So thank you everyone for commenting, you've made my day and quite possibly my week, and I'll hopefully see you all soon with another update!! <3

“It’s so _hoooooot!_ ” Prompto whined as he wound the window down further, now finding himself in the front seat next to Nyx as Luna sat beside Umbra and a portion of the purchases that had left them broke once again.

“Maybe if you kept the window up and let the air con do its job…” Nyx grumbled and even as Prompto threw him a glare he noted how the complaint lacked any true bite.

“ _Maybe_ we should take the roof off. Like I suggested. Five minutes ago.” He responded, sitting back against the seat and regretting it immediately as he found his tank top stuck unceremoniously to the backrest. He grimaced and examined the console, frowning at the air con.

“Air con’s not up high enough.”

“Prompto it’s up as high as it can go.”

“Still not high enough.” Prompto pouted.

“Again, if you just wound up your window-”

Luna met Umbra’s exasperated eyes and bit back a snort as the pair continued to bicker. She couldn’t blame them, it was miserably hot and it showed no promise of ever ending. She scanned the wavering horizon line outside her window as what little flora there was flew by. Umbra nuzzled her hand and she turned her attention back to him, giving him a small pet as her grip tightened on the small journal in her lap.

_Are you alive?_

How on earth was she supposed to respond to that? A simple ‘yes’ didn’t even cover all that they had been through together. But she didn’t want to burden him with all that knowledge, it would simply worry Noctis to no end. 

Well, they had been taking pictures earlier, and it seemed Regis wanted to send those but would that be enough to quell Noctis’ worries?

She watched Nyx and Prompto continue their banter and felt an idea bubble up in the base of her skull. She smiled and nodded to herself. Maybe simply writing a few words and sending a selection of photos wasn’t enough from her alone. Maybe it was not only her that needed to write.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto collapsed on the dry ground and let out an exhausted sigh. Holy chocobos that fight had taken a while. He tried to lift his arms and felt them tremble and shake as the adrenaline receded from his system. Man, he had thought the kick back from his guns had been bad when he’d first started, suddenly having to use Clarus’ freaking giant sword on a daemon in the midst of pure chaos had to be _fresh hell._

“You good?”

Prompto started as a pair of dusty boots came into his view, he looked up and squinted in order to see Cor’s passive face looking down at him, smears of dirt and daemon blood under his left eye.

“Uh, yeah! Yeah, I think I’m good! How about you?” Prompto asked and a grunt was his only answer. He smiled weakly to himself and decided to take Cor’s sound as one of positive confirmation before taking the man’s outstretched hand and lifting himself off the dirt.

“Do you need any healing?” Luna asked, suddenly appearing by Prompto’s side as he brushed himself down.

“Nope! I’m go-” Luna slapped her hands on Prompto’s face and squished his cheeks as he yelped in shock. Gold light tingled on his face as warmth caressed his jaw and spread down through his sore arms. Luna pulled away with a bright smile and Prompto rubbed his red face.

“I said I was good.” He mumbled.

“You had minor abrasions and your arms were sore, we can’t have our best gunman hurt now.” Luna scolded him with a wag of her delicate finger before turning to Cor.

“I’m good your Highness.” Cor stated in a blunt and gruff tone but it didn’t dissuade her. Prompto had to hold back a laugh as he watched Luna practically chase Cor across the battlefield, hands outstretched with gold light flowing from them and Prompto smiled.

Their best gunman huh?

Well it wasn’t like he was the _best_ gunman, there were probably people far more skilled in the Empire’s army, maybe it was more like he was their _only_ gunman but still.

_Their best gunman._

A shy smile creeped onto his face in what felt like wiggly lines and Prompto’s face glowed red as he pointed it to the ground, hoping no one saw him. Hoping that he could selfishly keep that moment for himself like a photograph in his camera, just for him to see and cherish and maybe that was selfish but it was what he wanted for just one moment because Luna said he was their best gunman.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Alright, good fight everyone.” Clarus said as he leaned down and petted Umbra absentmindedly, earning a pleased woof from the messenger before he moved on, hand on Regis’ shoulder, steadying him as they walked back to the car. Prompto lifted his arms and above his head and stretched and Luna anxiously gnawed at her bottom lip before speaking up.

“Um! Sorry, but I have something to ask everyone.”

“If you’re gonna ask us to pick up Umbra’s crap think again Princess.” Nyx grumbled under his breath and glared without any heat when Prompto elbowed him in the side.

“Thank you Prompto.” Luna smirked and Nyx felt a chill ran through him like Shiva herself was breathing down his neck.

“I was wondering if you would all like to write to Noctis.” Regis’ eyes lit up in delight and Luna smiled softly at the weathered man.

“I feel as if we all have something to say to him and so I decided it would be best that we all wrote to him.”

“Um, are you sure?” Luna turned to Prompto who was looking at her with a nervous frown and gripping his wrist tightly, “Isn’t that journal like, really private? I mean you and Noct used it and-”

“It’s fine Prompto, I am sure that given our extraordinary circumstances Noctis wouldn’t mind. I know I certainly don’t.” Luna smiled reassuringly. Prompto smiled back and yelped in surprise when Nyx playfully elbowed him in the side.

“It’s not like you don’t wanna write to him.” Nyx smirked and Prompto really did try to quell his rising heartbeat and temperature. He really did try to stop his hands from sweating but Gods above he was at a complete and utter loss and this man was ruining him. But what did he mean by that? Oh _fuck_ , did he know? Was Prompto that obviou-?

“Yes, it’s only right that you write to him. You’re best friends after all.” Prompto somehow managed to both cringe and sigh inwardly; at least they weren’t suspicious.

“Thank you Luna, I believe I will take you up on that offer.” Regis smiled, voice warm and soft in the harsh buzz of the afternoon sun and Prompto watched as Luna lit up, hands unconsciously gliding over Umbra’s surprisingly soft fur. As everyone began to move off towards the cars, ready to leave, Prompto began to nervously itch on the inside, a tight strain around his lungs as he began to think. What would he say to Noct?

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis was the first to take up the small journal and the eagerly offered pen Luna handed him, he disappeared to the back of the regalia, leaning over the boot and writing slowly, each curve of his hand practised and elegant and it was obvious how much love and care he was putting into each and every letter.

Prompto turned away from Regis and idly toyed with the camera in his hands. All the photos he had taken already, he wanted to send them all, but he also wanted one really stand out one. It was almost like he wanted to impress Noct, which was stupid, Noct already said he liked Prompto’s photos so he’d probably be happy with whatever Prompto sent him but this mattered to Prompto.

Get the angle right.

Check the lighting.

Another photo and another disappointment. None of these felt right. Even the ones where Luna modelled for him, Umbra by her poised feet as she waved to the camera. It wasn’t that they weren’t nice pictures, it just didn’t feel like what he wanted. He took pictures of Cor, Clarus, Nyx, heck he even got some selfies in there, but it was all wrong.

“Maybe you should look elsewhere.” Luna suggested with a smirk, looking over Prompto’s shoulder. He followed her gaze and found himself looking once more at Regis. He turned around to look back at Luna, to see if this was what she had meant but she was gone, standing next to Cor and asking short questions about his katana and when he learnt to wield it. Prompto pouted and turned back to the King. The lighting was good, and the angle was steady.

It felt like the best shot he’d taken all day.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Luna led Umbra away from the fire, journal in hand. It felt much heavier than what she remembered and she grinned as she thought of all of Prompto’s photos. Of how he had fumbled over words as he fiddled with all the pictures he had taken over the last few days before deciding it was best to send them all. She liked the one of Regis writing on the boot of the regalia best. Nyx and Cor hadn’t written much, she had checked, but she didn’t hound them for more words. She could tell they didn’t really know what to say, even if Cor never really changed his facial expression from his everyday frown. Clarus had more written to Gladio then to Noctis but that was okay too, she understood. Noctis wasn’t the only one they missed.

She fastened the journal to Umbra’s back and pet him gently, scratching him under the chin with a soft smile.

“I’ll see you soon.”

Umbra barked and dashed off into the night.

_Are you alive?_

Luna looked up to the night sky, the stars, the moon, all of them asking the same question as a young small Noctis reached out over his father’s shoulder, tears in his eyes as he was forced to leave her behind as metal surrounded her, encasing her in a tomb.

_Are you alive?_

Luna closed her eyes and sighed, head tilted back to the sky as the murmurs of the campfire behind her burst into laughter amongst the crickets.

“Yes.” She whispered, eyes opening and reflecting the starlight as a gentle chill gripped her hand and her smile grew.

“I am alive.”


	17. First Thing's First

“Alright,” Prompto chirped, lazily swinging his gun in his hand, “First thing’s first you gotta work on your stance.”

“Is it that bad?” Luna asked, a coy smile masking embarrassment over the way she had been handling the gun Prompto had lent her so far.

“ _The worst._ ” He grinned cheekily before handing her the weapon.

“Set yourself up, I’ll try to give you some pointers.” 

Luna gripped the gun tightly in her hands, lifting it up to her eye-line and spreading her legs shoulder-width apart. She glared at her hands as they trembled and tried desperately to keep them still but it just wasn’t working.

“Have you been taught to fight?” Prompto asked.

“Yes,” Luna nodded, removing herself from her stance before settling into it again, “my guide, Gentiana, taught me how to handle the Trident of Bahamut.”

“Woah, that’s... _way_ more kickass than a gun.” Prompto whistled, squatting and using his fingers as a mock gun to aim and shoot the targets that had been set up. The small noises of ‘pew pew pew’ falling from his mouth enough to throw off her concentration and bring a small smile to her face. She shook her head, soft locks falling in front of her face, before re-positioning and aiming once more.

“How do I look?”

Prompto looked her up and down silently, eyes sharp and contemplative.

“Do you want the truth or do you want me to lie?”

_“Prompto.”_

“Okay, okay! Hmm...why don’t you take a shot and tell me how it feels?”

Luna nodded stiffly and raised the gun, brow furrowing deeply once more as her hands shook. She just had to steady herself, breathe deeply, feel her lungs expand and contract. She wanted to learn this, she had to. She couldn’t die yet; perhaps she may have to for the sake of the Prophecy but not yet. She hadn’t even formed one covenant yet.

So not yet. She wouldn’t die yet. For now she would learn what it felt like to squeeze and pull the trigger of a gun, feeling the kick as the bullet left the barrel and scraped a target. For now she would listen to Prompto’s slow and steady whistle of polite approval and she would learn how it felt to give a small smile as she began to learn.

“Not bad.” Prompto grinned.

“But I barely hit the target.” Luna held her voice back from becoming a whine but it didn’t stop the almost pout from taking hold of her face. Prompto reached out gently and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, a gesture of reassurance Luna hadn’t even known she’d needed.

“Sometimes barely hitting them is enough.”

Luna nodded and lifted the gun again, giving Prompto barely enough time to cover his ears as she pulled the trigger again, rejoicing silently in the back of her mind as the bullet hit the target more firmly.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“How long have you been handling a gun?” 

Prompto started and turned to Nyx, hands falling still in their rhythmic movements of wiping the barrel down. 

“Oh, um since I was five.”

“Five?” Nyx quirked an eyebrow and lifted himself up next to Prompto on the boot of the regalia, “Isn’t that a bit young?”

_Yeah, it is, it’s way to young to hold a gun let alone pull the trigger, victim staring down the barrel to the bullet that would cut their life short. It was far too young an age to shed blood._

Prompto bit back the wave of agony the chorus sung as the memories flooded in and he shook his head, refusing to notice the way Nyx’s eyes softened in concern.

“I...I guess so.”

Nyx remained quiet for a moment longer and Prompto stopped himself from looking, from seeing the pity in those eyes because pity didn’t matter now. What happened had happened and he could deal with it. He had to deal with it if he wanted to help King Regis. If he wanted to help Noct. Pity wasn’t going to get him anywhere.

“Empire?”

Prompto froze and, _fuck it_ , he looked up and met Nyx’s and honestly, how was he supposed to _not_ answer the man when he looked like that? All soft and warm and caring and concern. Prompto sighed and rested his hands in his lap, loosely holding the gun as he considered what he had to say.

“Yeah.”

“Bad?”

Prompto laughed, “Terrible.”

Nyx huffed out a small puff of air, smiling gently at the blond before turning his attention to Clarus as the older man tried to deny Luna classes on how to fight with a sword ( _“You can’t honestly expect me to use a gun all the time! I need to learn how to protect myself with as many weapons as I can.” “Lady Lunafr-” “Just Luna.” “Well hi there, ‘Just Luna’, I’m Clarus.” “You did not just-”_ ).

“If you ever want to talk about it…” Nyx trailed off. Prompto turned his bright eyes to the glaive, lips parted slightly in a baffled kind of shock.

“You...you mean it?” He asked, voice hushed as if he was worried someone would overhear and Nyx aimed for a comforting smile, pleased to find that it managed to calm Prompto’s nerves as the blond’s tense form relaxed and he began to idly clean his weapon. The air falling into a safe lull of peaceful silence as Clarus eventually gave in to Luna’s demands and dropped his sword into her hands, bellowing out the first laugh Prompto had heard from the shield as Luna struggled to lift up the heavy weapon.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“I’m so tired.” Luna sighed as she flopped into the backseat, door slamming shut next to her with a satisfying ‘kathunk’ and Prompto laughed lightly.

“That’s what you get for asking the Almighty Shield, Clarus Amicitia, to train you!” He chirped in a sing-song voice. 

“Almighty?” Nyx echoed, eyebrow lifting up at Prompto and the blond beamed at him, ignoring any swell of heat in his cheeks as the glaive set his gaze on him.

“You weren’t there when we fought Glauca. That was _intense_.”

“Oh really? As intense as flying a nif airship?” Nyx bragged and Prompto scoffed.

“Please, it’s not like the airships fight back.”

Luna grimaced as she remembered tentacles and a swirling mass of teeth opening up to swallow her whole.

“Yes. Yes they can.” She stated glumly and Prompto frowned at her but before he could ask exactly what the traumatised, frozen stare at the floor of the regalia meant, Nyx started the engine and pulled out onto the road.

“Let’s get going.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“We should listen to the radio.”

“No, it’ll distract me from driving.”

“It’ll be fine Clarus, I have absolute faith in you.”

“We’re _not_ listening to the radio.”

“Here you go your Highness.”

“Thank you Cor.”

“Do you two even listen to me? Should I just go talk to a brick wall?”

“Oh hush Clare-bear, you should live a little.”

“Oh no, no _fuck this_ that nickname is _not_ making a come-back.”

“What’s wrong Clare-bear?”

“Reggie, no, stop.”

“Clare-bear, Clare-bear, why don’t you care bear?”

“That doesn’t even make sense and Cor don’t you dare fucking snigger at me you lil Ru-that’s it, I’m pulling over.”

“You’re rather over-dramatic aren’t you Clarus?”

“Shut your fuck up Reggie you started this.”

“Oh dear.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto frowned as he watched the other regalia pull to the side of the road, he turned to Nyx and saw that his frown was matched on the glaive’s face.

“Should...should we be concerned?” He asked as the glaive as they slowed down to pull in behind the other regalia. Nyx opened his mouth to answer but remained silent, eyes widening as he saw Clarus climb out of the car, murderous intent flowing from every pore as he wrenched the back door open to where Regis was trying, and failing, to cover up laughter.

“Oh my.” Luna breathed as she leaned forward between the front seats to get a better view.

“Do you...should we help?” Prompto asked.

Nyx stopped pulling up behind the other car and kept driving onwards.

“Nah. They’ll be fine, besides,” he said throwing a quick smirk to the blonds, “I don’t think I’d want to get in the middle of that.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto hopped off the boot of the regalia and stood beside Luna as the second regalia pulled up into the parking lot. Prompto held back a snort as he saw Regis and Clarus exit the car with minor abrasions on their faces and a sour look firmly rooted in Clarus’ eyes.

“What happened?” Prompto asked Cor when the Immortal moved next to him and the blond had to fight back a terrified shiver when he saw Cor smirk. 

“Nothing much,” He responded, reaching out and ruffling Prompto’s hair, “don’t worry about it.”

“Oh, um...okay.” Prompto threw Luna a confused look but received no explanation as she shrugged carefully and walked with Regis to the front of the cars.

“Doesn’t seem like a lot of people are here.” Clarus commented in a wary, gruff voice. Prompto followed his gaze across the car-park and couldn’t help but find himself agreeing with the shield. Their cars were the only ones there, save for a _motorcycle_ , Gods above that thing looked so cool. He’d always wanted a motorcycle.

“So we don’t have to be too careful, yeah?” Nyx asked, a weariness Prompto hadn’t seen before settling in on the glaive’s eyes as he looked to Clarus.

“We can never be too careful.” The shield replied and Prompto smiled weakly as he saw Nyx fold like a house of cards under the tone of leadership invoking his sense of duty. The group walked up to the diner before halting as Regis noticed a sign in the diner window.

“I didn’t know people did this.”

Prompto leaned forward and grinned when he read the sign. Discounts for couples. 

“A few diners back in Insomnia did that.” He told Regis, eyes sparkling as he recalled the time Noct had snuck out of the castle and forced Ignis to pretend they were a couple in order to get cheap and fatty food. That had been the first and _last_ time that had happened...well...that Ignis knew about. As long as Gladio held up his end of the bargain then Noct and Prompto were safe, and he was _definitely_ gonna hold up his end of the bargain unless he wanted some rather _unfortunate_ information to travel along the grapevine to his father.

“Is that so?”

“Yup!”

Regis turned around to Clarus with a glint in his eye that made Prompto extremely wary and concerned. 

“Clarus, how much money do we have?”

“Considering how we need to stock up on supplies, not much.” Clarus responded, frowning at Regis before some cog turned over in his head and he caught onto what Regis was plotting. Again, Prompto sensed this foreboding atmosphere and he felt almost entirely unsure what to do about it. He looked to Nyx to see if he sensed it too and was scared to see a concerned frown on the glaive’s face.

“I have a suggestion.” Regis announced, turning to Prompto and Nyx with a sly grin and Prompto felt horror creep up inside his throat. A horror so great and mortifying that it drowned out the chorus of constant screams and cries for blood and slaughter. Oh Gods _no._

“Please don’t tell me you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking.” Cor murmured and Regis’ smile grew and Prompto knew that his day was about to go downhill. No, not even downhill, it was going _under the hill._ He was doomed. His frightened blue eyes flicked up to meet Nyx’s and he fought down the urge to throw up as his heartbeat accelerated.

_He was so doomed._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Oh fuck, oh fuck, was this really happening?! This could not be happening, oh please, please may Eos strike him down from above, please release him from this mortal coil of doom and pain and suffering and agony that spiralled out of control within him to the back-up singers of the chorus who all chanted at the increased heart rate, mistaking it for blood lust instead of just...well... _fuck._

Prompto kept his eyes focused to the ground and really, all he wanted was to just spontaneously combust right there and then. It would be so much better than walking up to that counter, red-faced and stammering voice as fucking _Nyx Ulric_ pretended to be his boyfriend. _King’s orders my ass_ , Prompto thought angrily, barely tilting his head to shoot a glare at Regis who stood by the door, throwing him a smile and casual thumbs up. _The fucker._

“Hi! Welcome to Titan’s Platter, may we take your order?” Oh she was nice, oh she had no idea of the turmoil and chaos that was about to happen, oh she was so nice _the poor thing._

“Hi there, me and my boyfriend were just hoping to get a meal with our friends.”

_How in the bloody hellfire of Ifrit did Nyx manage to say that so calmly?!_

“Oh! Of course, what would you like?”

_...That was it? Seriously?_

Prompto looked up, the fire slowly disappearing from his face and it was like he could suddenly see again, eyes taking in the lovely and polite waitress behind the counter and Nyx resting against the counter with an easy smile as he listed off food for the group. He turned around and looked to Luna who shot him a reassuring smile which he returned, albeit shakily.

He turned back to Nyx who finished ordering and looked over to him, eyes locking onto his and _oh no_ all the nerves were coming back.

“Think I’ve missed anything babe?”

 _FUCK WHAT THE FUCK DON’T JUST THROW AT A MAN I AM A POOR SUFFERING BISEXUAL PLEASE DO NOT_

“No, I’m good.” Prompto managed to squeak out, earning a sympathetic smile from the waitress and an easy, smooth grin from Nyx which was only slightly reassuring.

“Cool.”

“We’ll bring your order out to you in a few minutes!” She beamed and disappeared into the kitchen area and Prompto felt Nyx steer him over to a table.

“You okay?” Nyx whispered close to Prompto’s ear and the blond had to fight back a shiver as his face became engulfed in flame again.

“Fine!” He choked out and oh _gods_ Nyx was so close to his face he could _feel_ the glaive smirk.

“You sure about that?”

“Absolutely!”

Prompto felt relief surge through his body as Nyx pulled back to turn to the others, but his hand, his hand was on Prompto’s shoulder and it didn’t leave as Nyx gently guided him into his seat and sat next to him with Luna on his other side.

_Calm down, breathe, it’s over now._

“That was pretty good,” Regis commented, “we’ll have to keep an eye out for more deals like that.”

_Oh fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...um....shit okay I don't have an excuse I just really wanted to write this and GUYS THE DINER MOMENT HAPPENED!!! I have a feeling it was a bit anti-climatic so idk if you guys really liked it all that much but I enjoyed writing it <3 See you in the next chap!!!


	18. Consolation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter so much and I hope you guys do too!!!

Gladio sat down on the small camping chair with a weary and long-suffering sigh before he cared to look around. Noct was not far from them, still in sight, walking about aimlessly and stopping every now and again, head lifted up and tilted slightly as if he was listening out for something...or someone. Gladio sighed again and turned to Ignis who was rifling through their supplies, taking inventory.

“What do you think?”

Ignis looked up, eyes sharp as they followed Gladio’s gesturing nod to where their Prince stood solemnly.

“I think he needs a haircut.”

_“Iggy.”_

Ignis sighed, defeated and placed the bag down on the ground, his eyes washing over with weariness as he considered those two simple words Noctis had said to them.

_Prompto’s alive._

He squeezed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

“I don’t think it’s wrong for him to be hopeful but…”

“But it’s doubtful.”

Ignis frowned, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, supporting his chin with clasped hands.

“Noct is able to feel it whenever one of his Crownguard summons their weapon, ultimately invoking his magic. If he felt that tug when neither of us summoned then the only explanation is Prompto.”

“Okay, but,” Gladio began, voice lowering as he mimicked Ignis’ actions, leaning forward himself and uncrossing his arms, “How would Prompto have made it out of Insomnia? We all saw the images, the city was…” Gladio couldn’t bring himself to say it but Ignis’ mind filled in the blank for him. It was true that it was highly unlikely Prompto could have made it out of Insomnia alone given that he was supposed to have been in the eye of the storm; the Citadel. However…

“Maybe he had help.”

Gladio’s frown turned somber and Ignis immediately knew that his thoughts had turned to his father.

“Yeah, yeah that could work.” His tone soft and gravelly and Ignis frowned. He stood up, knowing the movement would grab Gladio’s attention, and turned to face the larger man.

“I believe you misunderstood me Gladio,” He turned his sharp eyes to the brightening, dark brown ones of their Prince’s Shield, allowing a subtle Mona Lisa quirk of his lips to slip onto his face, “What I meant was that perhaps Prompto didn’t escape alone.”

“Y-You think?” Gladio asked, stumbling over his words as hope burst into his eyes and Ignis turned away, picking up their bag of inventory with a barely suppressed smile on his face.

“I do, after all, it’s not wrong to hope.”

Gladio chuckled softly to himself and leaned back into his chair, head tilted up to watch the clouds roll past as a fresh breeze toyed with his hair.

“Guess not.”

Gladio closed his eyes and enjoyed the sounds of the wind in the trees and Ignis moving around, packing something up, checking off some list or another, before being interrupted. His eyes snapped open at the sound of hurried, pounding footsteps running across the land towards them. The Shield leaped up off the chair, ready to summon his weapon when Noct pulled into camp. No daemons were following him, Gladio noted with a frown. He was about to ask what the hell happened when he noticed the ball of fluff next to him; Umbra.

_Oh shit._

Noct looked up at them, eyes defiant and shining brilliantly like the sun, lifting up his journal that was practically bursting at the seams with their answer. With Noct’s answer.

“It’s here.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“You know, I think we’re getting better at this!” Prompto chirped as he rocked back on his heels, inspecting the pegs on the tent, making sure they were secure. Cor stepped out from the other side and grunted. Prompto looked him up and down with a furrowed brow.

“You don’t talk much huh?”

Cor shook his head silently and Prompto sighed, springing up off his heels and standing up, swaying slightly as he linked his hands together behind his back.

“Do you just, like, not like talking?”

“Nothing to say.” Cor replied briefly and Prompto pouted slightly before forcing a somewhat natural grin onto his face, hoping to break up any tension he’d created in the air between them.

“So you don’t mind me talking right? Or do you want me to like, not bother you? I can stop talking right now if you want.” _Smooth Argentum,_ Prompto mentally chided himself at his eager nature, eyes dropping so he couldn’t see the slight smirk appear on Cor’s face. The Immortal clapped Prompto on the shoulder, startling him out of his head.

“I don’t mind.” Was Cor’s short answer and Prompto stood still before blinking confusedly.

“Wait! Like, you don’t mind me talking or you don’t mind me not talking? Cor?”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noctis flipped the journal over and over in his hands, fear and anxiety eating him alive from the pit of his stomach, churning and tossing and turning like the small book in his hands. It was heavier than usual but what did that mean? Had whoever found it sent something back with the journal? What if the Empire found it? What if it was a trap and he was playing right into their hands? 

“Just open it already!” Gladio urged him gruffly, eyebrows knitted together with his own anxious worry and Noct threw him a small scowl that lacked any meaningful heat. He looked back to the journal and shuffled his feet nervously. _Fuck it,_ he opened the book roughly, eyes widening in shock as small colourful squares fell out and it took him a moment to realise they were photos.

_Photos._

His mind flashed back to soft clicks of a camera and blond hair, soft blond hair styled in tufts with blue eyes, shining streaks of violet, gleaming at him, constellations speckled on skin and Noct felt his eyes water as he realised not only was he thinking of that face but seeing it too.

He knelt down, hands outstretched and journal falling out of his loose grip, slowly reaching out and picking up the first photo. One of Prompto, a selfie, taken in the middle of a fight in some desert location with others in the background and Noct breathed in sharply as he recognised Cor. Had Cor gotten Prompto out? No, well maybe, but how would Prompto have gotten the journal? He placed the photo down carefully, ignoring how Gladio and Ignis kneeled down next to him and helped him search, for what though, none of them knew.

Noct picked up another photo, and froze. Luna was sitting on a log with Umbra at her feet, smiling without restraint and she looked amazing, happy, _alive._ Noct choked back a sob as tears began to stab at his eyes, threatening to be released. Luna, Prompto and Cor, they were alive. Oh Gods, _they were alive._ He looked up as he heard Gladio breathe in sharply, eyes wide and looking upon the photo he was holding. He turned it around for Noct and Ignis to see and the pair froze.

A blinding flash had been used, washing out the colour on Clarus’ face and Ignis smiled softly. Noct threw Gladio a shaky, supportive smile and picked up the one that had been laying next to Clarus’ photo. It wasn’t washed out by a bright light, but instead soft, with the figure off-centre and hunched over. Noct gasped aloud and brought the picture close to his chest, eyes overflowing with salty tears that trickled down his face. His dad, Regis, was hunched over the back of a car, a regalia, with a pen in hand. He was alive, he was alive with soft wrinkles and gentle creases around his eyes, wearing casual clothing instead of those stuffy suits from the Citadel and Noct squeezed his eyes shut.

They were all alive. He didn’t care how, he only cared that they were alive. So alive in each of Prompto’s photos (they had to be Prompto’s photos, Noct could physically feel the presence of the blond, looking over his shoulder and pointing to the ones Noct knew Prompto liked best). Noct felt like he was whole; whole and complete after such a long of missing pieces. The pieces were far away but there and he finally felt like he was real instead of floating along some path of destiny with Ignis and Gladio weighing him down so he didn’t drift off. They were alive, weary but alive. 

Noct looked back at the picture and smiled, holding back a wet laugh as he drowned himself in the image of his father, _his father, not his King,_ doing something as menial as writing when he froze. Writing. He was writing. What was he writing in? _The journal._

Noct scrambled up and hastily grabbed the small journal, flipping it over in his hands and rifling through until he found his last entry. His question.

_Are you alive?_

He held his breath unnecessarily before turning the page, exhaling it with shaky tearful relief as he was overwhelmed by Luna’s one word response.

_Yes._

His eyes glazed over that one word, centered so perfectly in the middle of the page before falling onto the cursive he recognised from secret letters shared back and forth when time had been found in-between a busy schedule. Notes and jokes passed on by bemused staff from room to room as time had been allocated and Noctis lost himself to the memories of being held, pressed against a warm shoulder with a somewhat scratchy beard brushing his hair. He squeezed his eyes shut tight as his hold on the journal strengthened, as if he was afraid to let this go, to let the presence of their existence go out of his hands, away from him when he needed them most.

“Dad.” He choked out, hunching up into a ball and pressing his forehead to the soft grass as Ignis appeared next to him, gloved hand soothingly rubbing his aching back as he cried messily into the ground.

_“Dad.”_

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis shuffled up next to Clarus as the Shield began to prepare for dinner.

“Would you like some help?”

Clarus snorted and tilted his head to look at Regis skeptically.

“I appreciate the offer Reggie, but last time you cooked you nearly killed us with food poisoning.”

“That was years ago Clarus, why can’t you just let that go already.” Regis grumbled, leaning slightly against the makeshift work station Clarus had created and the Shield furrowed his brow slightly.

“How’s your knee?” His concerns were proven correct as Regis started at the inquiry, watching as the former monarch moved to stand as straight as he could without his knee buckling underneath him.

“Perfectly fine.”

The dip Clarus’ forehead deepened, hand reaching out to flick Regis in the head and the old King frowned, rubbing his temple as Clarus turned back to the ingredients.

“Do me a favour Reggie, and sit the fuck down.”

“But-”

“Please Regis,” Clarus whispered, eyes softening as he placed his weight in the palm of his hands, leaning against the bench wearily, “just take care of yourself.”

It was silent and the mood was passive, the air stagnant between them before Regis moved forward carefully, a weathered and aged hand placed on top of Clarus’ with a soft smile that Clarus just sagged under upon seeing, tired smile creeping onto his face before Regis pulled away.

“Alright.”

The King walked off to the small seating area that had been set up where Luna and Prompto were talking, the latter with large animated movements and gestures that had Luna giggling, while the Shield turned back to the process of providing them all with a meal, unless they wanted Regis to cook and ultimately risk their lives upon devouring whatever abomination he concocted. Clarus shuddered and rolled up his sleeves.

Time to get to work.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

_Noctis,_

_I’m sorry that I have not been able to contact you until now, I can only hope that this confirmation of my continued existence is enough to calm you. I cannot begin to imagine the pain you must have felt upon hearing the news of Insomnia’s fall and I apologise for that too, for not contacting you sooner, somehow, someway._

_I hope that you are safe where you are, and do not worry, we ourselves are safe for the time being. We are camping at havens and completing hunts for gil which has proven to be an effective way of passing time._

_Noctis, Lunafreya has decreed that the time of the Prophecy is here. I can only imagine the hardships you will have to endure as the Chosen King but do not worry. I am here with you. I will be with you once more when we meet in Altissia. That is the plan; Lunafreya has decided to form the covenants with the Astrals and it is imperative that you follow her example. She is leading us to Altissia, where you were once meant to be wedded. I hope you will be able to meet us there where I can finally greet you as your father instead of your King._

_Stay safe my son._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto toyed with his fork, shuffling his meal around with absent eyes and Lunafreya reached out to him, a concerned hand landing on his shoulder, bringing him out of his lost daze.

“Are you alright?” She asked, voice low so as to not draw attention to him and he nodded, eyes sparking up a bit with dull life and he sniffled.

“Yeah, yeah I just…” He trailed off and she waited patiently for him, watching as his mind turned over word after word until he was satisfied with the sentence he had made.

“Do you think Noct’s got the journal by now?”

Luna tightened her grip gently, reassuring him through her touch and softening eyes.

“I do.”

“When...when do you think he’ll write back?” Prompto asked, angling his body to face her more confidently, posture perking up a bit with radiant positivity that glowed brighter than the fire before them.

“When he’s ready.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

_Noct! Hey dude, it’s been a while and man it’s been crazy too! It’s still hard to believe Insomnia fell...even though I was there and I saw it, it’s just...hard to believe. But I survived it! Oh, I guess you know that though since I’m writing to you right now._

_Anyway!! I’m travelling with your dad, Gladio’s dad, Cor THE IMMORTAL, Nyx (he’s from the Kingsglaive and he’s pretty cool) and Luna! Luna is so nice dude, you are so lucky to be marrying her, she’s been really helpful and I’ve even been teaching her how to handle a gun! It doesn’t really compare to her trident though but she can’t summon that, something about her guide Gentiana. I dunno._

_Oh! Cor is so cool too! He’s really nice and even though he looks scary he’s actually not as intimidating as I thought, except in battle, dude he freaking SLAYS. It’s so awesome. Oh oh oh!! In battle the other day Clarus, Gladio’s dad, he threw me his sword to use on a daemon and damn dude that thing is heavy, kudos to Gladio for learning how to wield something like that when he was like, five._

_Your dad is really nice too, it’s so cool to see him out of the Citadel. He seems a lot more chill than he did back by the throne._

Noct gave a wobbly smile as he turned the page over, following Prompto’s word eagerly to find them interrupted by two other words of a different scripture.

_Don’t die._

Noct smirked as he saw Prompto’s annotations of the note.

_Very creative Cor. You’ll have to forgive him, he doesn’t speak much._

The last word was dragged off the page as if Prompto had been interrupted and Noct could only imagine Cor’s unamused glare as he saw Prompto’s annotations. Noct dropped his eyes down and continued to read his best friend’s original words.

_Sorry about that interruption! Cor stole the book off me! Anyway, Luna said we’re gonna try and meet you in Altissia (ALTISSA DUDE THAT PLACE IS A PHOTOGRAPHY HOTSPOT I’M SO PUMPED) so I guess I’ll see you then! Don’t give Iggy and Gladio a hard time ‘kay?_

_Oh! Say hi to Iggy and Gladio for me! And tell them not to worry! We got out of Insomnia fine! Also, sorry about your uncle Iggy, we haven’t heard anything about him so it’s probably likely that he...uh….yeah….sorry man._

_See you in Altissia though! I’ll have a bunch of pics for you then! (I hope you don’t mind all the pics I sent you now though, I couldn’t pick so I just sent them all. Anyway, bye!)_

Noct laughed softly to himself, tears bubbling up as he heard the sound of Prompto’s voice in his head, speaking the words like he was right next to him instead of far away on some distant plain or at some unseen haven.

Gods, he’d missed him.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Thanks for the food Clarus!” Prompto chirped as the Shield collected up the plates and bowls.

“At least someone appreciates my cooking.” Clarus smirked and Prompto watched as Cor groaned and Regis pouted.

“We didn’t complain.” Regis commented.

“Not out loud.” Clarus sniped back with a playful smile and Regis quirked an eyebrow, putting on an affronted mask.

“Is this defamation against your King Clarus? Is this treason?”

“Treason is a bit of a stretch.” Cor grunted, a subtle smirk toying at the corners of his mouth as he heard Prompto snort from across the fire, blue eyes bubbling up with amusement.

“I can’t believe you’re turning against me, what of your oaths? Have you forgotten your sworn loyalty to your King?” Regis accused Cor. The Immortal rolled his eyes, standing up and making his way over to Prompto.

“Spar. Now.” He stated in a blunt, passive tone before walking off behind Prompto. The blond looked between Cor and Regis who was smirking.

“You never were one for a bit of banter were you Cor?”

“Yeah yeah, you coming Prompto?” Cor called back and the blond hopped up, making his way over cautiously. The marshall turned around, eyes expectant as Prompto stood in front of him.

“Let’s see what you’re made of.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

_Your Highness, it’s Clarus. Don’t worry about your father, as his Shield I promise to take care of him to the best of my ability even if it costs me my life. It is my sworn duty as both his guard and his friend._

_Take care of yourself your Highness, the Empire will be on the move, either chasing us or you. Depends on how much they know._

_I hope you don’t mind your Highness, but the rest of my words are for Gladio. I hope you are able to pass them onto my son._

Noct looked up at Gladio as his friend sat, looking through photos by the fire as the sun fell behind him. Maybe later, and maybe that was selfish but Noct wanted to see the rest of the notes, he wanted reassurance of all their lives before passing the journal on. He looked back down at the journal and flipped past Clarus’ message to Gladio before stumbling over handwriting he didn’t recognise.

_Name’s Nyx Ulric and I’m one of the Kingsglaive. His majesty passed the Ring of the Lucii onto me until we can pass it onto you. Don’t worry, I’m taking care of it._

_I promise to take care of your father, Lady Lunafreya and Prompto too._

_We’ll see you in Altissia._

Noct breathed out a sigh of relief. Thank the Gods, his dad wasn’t carrying the damn ring anymore. He could only hope that this ‘Nyx’ would be able to carry the ring without injury, at least until Noct could take it from him. Noct tensed at the thought. He hated that ring. He didn’t want to wear it, the ring that had burdened his father and aged him prematurely. He didn’t want that thing near him. Hell, let Nyx have it, he doesn’t want the ring, he doesn’t want to be King.

He sighed and bent his head forward.

Destiny sucked.

“Something wrong Noct?”

Noct looked up to Ignis’ concerned gaze as his advisor paused in sorting through photos.

“Um, no...actually Ignis do you know someone called Nyx Ulric?”

Ignis furrowed his brow in concentration as he focused on the name and its person.

“Yes, he was dubbed ‘The Hero’ of your father’s Kingsglaive. He’s quite skilled and a capable fighter, in fact he was the only Glaive able to warp effectively. Why?”

“Oh, um, Dad passed the Ring onto him.” Noct mumbled, unsure of what exactly he had wanted to know, all that Ignis had given him was trust, trust in a man he didn’t know who seemed plenty capable enough of protecting all that Noct cared for.

“I see. I suppose out of all your father’s companions Nyx was the best choice. We can trust him.” Ignis reassured him, hand reaching out and landing on Noct’s shoulder and the younger man nodded.

“Yeah.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Kick him harder Prompto!” Clarus hollered from where he was washing the dishes, watching as Prompto desperately tried to land a solid hit on Cor.

“Oh dear.” Luna commented, hands freezing on the dish she was drying as Cor managed to deliver a heavy blow to Prompto’s stomach.

“That had to hurt.” Nyx winced as Prompto stumbled to his knees, arms wrapping around his abdomen as Cor wiped practically non-existent sweat off his brow.

“What should you have done?” Cor asked as the blond groaned, falling to his side and curling up into a foetal position.

“I shouldn’t have agreed to spar.” Prompto choked out and Nyx laughed.

“You should’ve dodged. You’re light on your feet, so do something about it.” Cor lectured him, “Again.”

Prompto waved at Cor limply, “No way, I’m dying here!”

“Again Prompto.” The marshall ordered and Prompto released a long-suffering groan.

“Come on Blondie, you can do this.” Clarus called out and Prompto lifted his head up weakly.

“Really?”

“Hell no, but it makes for good entertainment.” Clarus smirked.

“Oh my _gods_ , you guys _suck_.” Prompto whined before letting his head fall back to the ground and burying the cries of the choir deep in his head, ignoring their pleas and scraping screams to be released and give Cor a piece of their collective mind.

“I think you killed him.” Nyx called out and his only response was the mixture of Cor’s grunt and another one of Prompto’s long, pained groans.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

_Noctis, the time of the Prophecy has come to pass. We must move quickly in order to gather the power you need to purge this star of its scourge. The Empire has the Crystal, but where I do not know. I’m sorry for placing this burden upon you so unexpectedly, I had hoped to meet in person once more before ever having to consider this long road ahead of us but we have no time left to ponder over sylleblossoms and reunions. We must focus._

_I promise to you that I will meet you in Altissia with the others. You were right about Prompto, he is a darling. I have not felt at home in many years and yet, as soon as this boy made me laugh I felt at peace, I felt that the car we travelled in was my home on the long, open road before us. He is indeed worth everything and more. I hope to have you reunite with him soon, as well as your father. I can tell that Regis misses you dearly._

_He apologised for my mother’s death but it is not necessary, just as your apology over leaving me behind is. The past has passed and we must focus on our futures._

_Seek out the Astrals Noctis, I will go ahead of you to begin the covenants but you must contact the Astrals as well. They will want to see you, to test the Chosen King._

_I pray you have a safe journey._

_Luna._

Noct felt his chest glow at her comforting words even as the heavy weight of his future dawned upon him. He had to do this. He hated it but if he did this, if he sought out the Astrals and went through whatever trial they had for him, he would get to see Luna again. See his dad, Prompto, again. He squeezed his eyes shut and smiled, cradling the journal close to his chest as he felt their presence through their words, each letter slowly warming him and giving him the power he needed to move forward.

“See you in Altissia.”


	19. Blue Backdrop

Noct crossed his arms on the car door and looked out, the breeze playing with his hair as Ignis drove through Leide. Was he getting closer to his dad, to Luna, to Prompto? Or was he moving further away? He closed his eyes and tried to see if he could feel Prompto’s tug for weapons, the tug that invoked Noct’s magic. 

_Nothing._

But that was okay. Noct smiled, falling himself back into the car and pulling out one of the many pictures Prompto had sent him, one of the many pictures Noct now kept in his shirt pocket closest to his heart. It was one selfie out of a million, capturing Prompto’s sunny smile, but it was proof of life. Proof that Noct now treasured when he woke up, flipping through the journal and re-reading the words it contained, the photos it held.

He knew he wasn’t the only one who treasured it, and he didn’t mind sharing it with Gladio when his friend wanted to re-read his dad’s words. Noct didn’t know what Clarus had said, and he wasn’t going to ask, but it clearly put Gladio’s mind at ease, and for that Noct was thankful.

“Looks like we got company.” Gladio informed them, warnings seeping through his tone and Noct followed his gaze skyward where Nifleheim airships began to descend, doors opening and dropping their mechanic troops onto the ground. Ignis stopped the car and all them leaped out, summoning their weapons with familiar tugs that Noct’s heart warmed at.

“About time they showed up.” He smirked, flicking his wrist and throwing his engine blade forward, striking hard and fast in a flash of blue leaving Gladio and Ignis to follow faithfully behind him.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Alright, we all ready to go?” Clarus asked them. Prompto stood up, balancing precariously on his left foot while trying to lace up his right shoe and eventually surrendered, leaning into Nyx to help regain his equilibrium as he finished his double-knot with a bright red face.

“Seems it.” Nyx quipped, shoving Prompto off of him gently and throwing the blond a smirk that had Prompto fumbling over words and thoughts.

“Are we going to pick up another hunt?” Regis asked Clarus but before his Shield could respond, Luna cut over, eyes steely and determined.

“Actually, I believe it’s time we make for the Archaean.” 

Nyx felt Prompt freeze beside him, glancing out of the corner of his eye his could see Prompto’s wide blue irises still and frozen on Luna.

“Really?” Kudos to the kid for not breaking his voice, however that didn’t stop Nyx picking up on the hesitant fear seeping from the tone. He frowned. Was Prompto okay?

“Yes.” Luna whispered and Nyx turned to look at her, seeing a carefully hidden hesitance in her eyes and his frown deepened. Was Luna okay? Gods, what was happening with them? Had something happened? Concern ate away at his insides until Regis spoke up, his authoritative tone easing Nyx’s thoughts.

“Then it is best we head off immediately.”

“Agreed. I have advised Noctis that he should seek the Astrals as well so I want to commune with them before Noctis, to aid his journey.” Luna spoke softly, her explanation soothing something in Prompto and Nyx saw him brighten, bouncing on the balls of his feet playfully.

“So it’s…like a race?” He asked, smiling stretching onto his face. A movement Luna mirrored, tension seeping from her shoulders as she nodded with a cheeky glint in her eyes and she looked like a normal girl, not the Oracle, not the princess, a normal girl born in Eos. It was a good look on her.

“You could say that.” She agreed and Clarus released a pretend, long-suffering sigh, hand covering his face but Nyx could still see the toothy smile behind it.

“You’re turning this into a competition.” He chided and Luna tutted with a wave of her delicate finger.

“There’s nothing wrong with some healthy entertainment.”

“As long as I don’t have to get my ass kicked this time.” Prompto grumbled under his breath, jolting as he heard Nyx huff out a quiet laugh, mirth twinkling in the older man’s eyes. Prompto’s breath hitched and he pulled his gaze away as Nyx lifted his hand to cover his bubbling smile, his blue eyes settling instead on Luna who quirked an eyebrow at him, slight, knowing smirk on her face and Prompto froze. _Oh no, Luna please no._

“Let’s go, shall we?” She gestured to the car and while she had not said what he had feared her eyes still held the mischievous twinkle and Prompto cursed the Gods for ever letting man know the true meaning of fear.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct fell back onto the side of the road, hand reaching up and gripping his wayward fringe as he panted heavily. 

“Noct, here.” He glanced up and took the offered restorative from Ignis with a thankful smile and nod.

“Thanks Iggy.”

“No problem.” Ignis sat down next to him with a stifled groan and Noct smirked.

“Need a rest old man?”

“Oh shut up, I’m only two years older than you Noctis.” Ignis huffed with a sharp pointed glare that rivalled his daggers and Noct laughed.

“Yeah, yeah.” He mumbled, breaking the restorative open and sighing in relief as the magic seeped into his skin, easing his sores and stitching his skin back together. He looked up at the sky, the bright blue bubbling with a laugh full of mirth that he hadn’t heard outside his head in days, maybe weeks now, and he frowned at the pain of separation.

“Noct? Are you alright?” Noct opened his eyes, pulling them from where Gladio surveyed the open road to where Ignis sat next to him, eyes furrowed his gentle, patient concern.

“I...I miss them.”

“Noct-”

“I know! I know...they’re alive and that...that should be enough but…” Noct pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his face behind them, hair hanging limply with the sweat from battle and Ignis delicately laid an arm over his shoulders after a careful and quiet minute. Noct stiffened at the touch before turning his head and looking at Ignis who looked back at him with steady eyes.

“We will meet them soon Noctis. Altissia is our goal and we have a lot to do before then but we will meet them. I promise you.”

Noct tried to make his sniffle quiet but Gods the quiet aftermath of battle made everything so loud and he kind of wanted to bury his face in shame but Ignis pulled him close to his chest and Noct wasn’t complaining. It had been a while since he’d been hugged.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx glanced out of the corner of his eye to Prompto and felt concern creep up on him, slowly and treacherously as it had been doing oh so often these past few days in the blonds company. He flicked his gaze to the rear-view mirror, checking both the road and Luna’s napping figure, arm curled around a pillow, keeping herself warm, before turning back to Prompto again.

 

“You alright?” He whispered, frowning as Prompto started, eyes jumpy and body tense before the blond looked to his lap and fiddled with his fingers, the quiet drone of the radio station filling the silence where his response should have been.

“What’s wrong?” Nyx asked, voice practically non-existent over the hum of the engine but he knew Prompto heard him. Prompto sighed and seemed to fold in on himself, Nyx knew that if the seat was pushed back enough he would have lifted his knees up to his chest just to grant him some comfort from the unwanted attention.

“Sorry.” Nyx mumbled, ready to dismiss the conversation when Prompto started, hand reaching out to land on his arm.

“No! No, it’s…” He trailed off, dropping his hand before it could make contact, bringing it back to his lap glumly, “I’m just...nervous I guess.” The hum of the regalia filled the air between them as they passed a rare street lamp is it began to flicker on in the fading light.

“About what?”

Prompto bit his lip, “I...I’m kinda scared of meeting the Astrals.”

Nyx remained silent, waiting to see if Prompto would continue. He didn’t have to wait long, he heard the blond take in a shaky breath before elaborating.

“It’s just...I’m not human...I’m part of the Scourge...it’s a part of me. Won’t the Astrals want me dead?”

Nyx just about swerved off the road, eyes widening in shock and shit this was something deeper than he’d been expecting from someone who seemed to wear their heart on their sleeve, emotions constant in their bright blue eyes and Nyx had thought he was coming to understand Prompto when clearly he’d only just scratched the surface. Just how many time had Prompto thought something like that? Shit had he thought something like that about Luna? About Nyx himself?

“It’s like...I’m one of the bad guys right?” Prompto squeaked out in a watery voice and fuck if he broke down now Nyx wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle it.

“No.” It slipped out of his mouth, quickly and suddenly and Prompto froze upon hearing it. It took all Nyx had to focus on the road instead of Prompto’s wet face turning to him, fresh tears streaking down his face as he kept his sobs silent as to not wake Luna.

“No?” His voice is shaky and something in Nyx just _breaks._

“No. No Prompto you are not the enemy. You are not a bad guy. Bad guys don’t save Lucian Kings and they do not promise to help Tenebraen Oracles. You are a good guy, one of the best I know.” Nyx finishes his somewhat monologue with a hopefully reassuring nod, praying the Prompto will believe him.

“But the Astrals-”

“Won’t lay a goddamn finger on you. Not on my watch.”

 _Oh fuck,_ maybe that had been a bit too blunt. Nyx couldn’t hear a single peep out of the blond in the passenger seat, so he waited until he felt he was good to take his eyes off the road and looked at Prompto. Prompto who sat, face turned to him, blue eyes wide with shock and blush burning across his face, making his freckles sparkle like stars against the night sky and _fuck_ Nyx should really look back at the road.

“Um…” Prompto squeaked before seemingly realising how his face was on fire and turning away hurriedly, covering his face with his hands and Nyx smirked, eyes finally turning back to the smooth tarmac ahead of them. As Prompto collected himself, Nyx checked the side mirror, dutiful tension easing as he saw the other regalia behind them.

“You...you mean that?” The blonds voice was barely above a whisper and Nyx nearly strained his ears to hear it.

“I do.” His mind flashed back to uneasy thinking and pondering before scribbling down a few reassuring words, words that he had seemingly meant more than he had known at the time of making promises to the far off Prince of Lucis.

“...Thanks.”

“No problem.” Nyx responded shortly, waiting a moment or two before looking back at the blond from the corner of his eye and smiling as he saw Prompto forcibly looking out the window, ears burning a bright red.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct stared up at the roof of the tent, squished between Ignis and Gladio before sighing, giving up and making his way out into the cool night air. He stretched his hand out and summoned the Sword of the Wise. They were on their way to collect the Axe of the Conqueror; Ignis said it was important, echoing the words of Monica Elshett. Legacy. Destiny. King.

Noct let the weapon fall away in a burst of blue before summoning it again, smiling at the sparks of twinkling blue lights that fell away around him. He closed his eyes, losing himself in that backdrop of blue, reaching out and finding smiles. Imagining freckles by a fire with aged and weary hands with grey hair and pale, blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, soft smiles and laughter and Noct desperately tried to fit himself in that picture.

Not yet.

He wasn’t there yet.

But soon. Soon he would be. He opened his eyes and glared at the sky. Nothing was going to stop him from meeting back up with his family, his loved ones, no destiny, no scourge. If this Prophecy brought him closer to them through time then he would follow it, he would do the good that needed doing. But this was for them, the people of his world that built plains and held up skies and shone the sun onto his face as sylleblossoms danced peacefully around his feet.

These were the people that mattered most. He would protect them, he would find them. And then, all of them together would live. If he had to go form covenants like Luna, then he would. He would chase her, he would chase them, through Eos and eventually...in Altissia...would they still get married? Noct frowned and cast the thought aside like a broken line before dropping the bait back into the water. It didn’t matter. He just had to do what he could for now, and then, like Ignis said, they would meet up again.

He summoned the Sword of the Wise again and chuckled quietly to himself.

“I guess you have made me a bit wiser.”

A snore from inside the tent interrupted his thoughts and he laughed to himself, dispelling the weapon and looking up to the stars, taking comfort in the fact that no matter how far apart they were, they were all under the same sky.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“The orders are from above sir, Chancellor Izunia himself-”

“Does it look. Like I give. _A flaming behemoth’s ass._ About what Chancellor Izunia says?” Loqi growled, rising up out of his chair and glaring at the minor messenger in his doorway.

“You have to sir! They’re strict orders-”

“Are you some kind of broken record? Gods! No wonder you’re only someone’s messenger bitch instead of a higher up,” Loqi trailed off, muttering to himself, “For fucks sake, give me a pay raise.”

“Sir?” Loqi glared at the timid voice before snatching the papers from the messengers hands and skimming through them.

“Track down the King of Lucis blah blah dispatch immediately blah blah blah find the MT blah blah!” He threw the papers up into the air and took delight in the panic that fell over Izunias messenger’s face, “Can’t they give me a vacation instead of this shit?”

“I-I-!”

 _“Go!”_ Loqi barked and the frightened man ran off. Loqi dragged a hand down his face, tugging at the seemingly permanent frown there and groaned.

“At least I’ll get out of this shit-hole for a bit.” He told himself, picking up his phone and dialling the hangar.

“Get my mech and some troops ready.” He hung up before the head engineer could bitch and smirked to himself.

“It’s been awhile since I last saw the sky.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:D


	20. What Of Yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the ever wonderful and incredible Tea Tree <3

Noct ducked behind a tree, Umbra low to the ground beside him, and looked over to Ignis and Gladio who were separated from him by a barrage of bullets.

“Do these guys _ever_ let up?!” He screeched and Gladio would’ve laughed if a stray bullet hadn’t just grazed his bicep. Ignis glared around the rock formation that protected them but was yanked back by Gladio as another round of shots was fired.

“We got anything? A plan? Something?!” Gladio bellowed over the gunfire and Ignis felt around for that ‘something’ they were all desperate for, hand clutching onto it as it flickered alive with warmth and flames licking at his hand, recognising the searing intention underneath his skin.

“Take cover!” Ignis yelled and before either Gladio or Noct could question him, he ducked out from behind his cover and threw the ball of fire magic at the considerably flammable MT units headed their way.

_“What the fuck Ignis?!”_

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Okay, favourite type of ice cream?” Prompto asked, flopping onto his stomach, stretching across the boot of the car and looking to where Luna sat, leaning out of the backseat, feet on the ground and head tilted at him with an amused smile.

“Sea salt.” 

“Wait, what.” Prompto lifted himself on his elbows as he did a double-take, “Sea salt ice-cream? _Sea salt?_ Who wakes up one day and decides to make sea salt ice-cream a thing?” He asked incredulously.

“Apparently someone from Tenebrae.” Cor stated plainly and Prompto reached out to bat him on the arm lightly, a smirk pulling onto the Immortal’s face as the blond pouted at his lack of force.

“Well _obviously_ Cor, Gods.”

Luna laughed softly, “Sea salt ice-cream is actually quite nice Prompto. I think you’d like it.”

“Really?” Prompto asked, frowning creasing in skepticism.

“I agree with Luna, sea salt ice-cream is far superior to any other. You would quite like it.” Regis nodded sagely, leaning against the second regalia, giving his knee a break from the constant pressure of standing.

“You’ve tried it King-uh, I mean...you’ve tried it Regis?” Prompto asked, sitting up and crossing his legs, leaning forward with blue eyes bright with expectation.

“Yes, when I was last in Tenebrae.” The former King’s voice softened and Prompto let the subject drop, sensing something fragile in the tone that should not be tread upon. He turned to Cor who met his gaze with a steely, passive glance and he figured he should stay quiet.

“Hey.” 

Prompto turned and smiled at Nyx who leaned up against the boot next to him as Clarus walked past him to Regis’ side.

“You get the supplies?” Nyx nodded and placed the plastic bags on the ground.

“We got more than enough. Also overheard something.” Prompto watched as Nyx’s eyes hardened and Prompto knew immediately that this Nyx was the Glaive one. The battle ready one that was considering tactics and strategies.

“What did you hear?” Cor asked, tone tough and business-like and Prompto felt a bit out of touch. He wasn’t used to all this battle planning. Ignis had taken care of all that. Ignis...Prompto drooped and looked at the ground. Damn he was really missing Iggy. It had been _ages_ since he’d eaten something Iggy had made and that was enough to make all other food unsatisfactory. But how was Iggy? Was he good? What about Gladio? _Crap, don’t fall down this rabbit hole._

“You okay?” Prompto started slightly at Nyx’s almost inaudible whisper, looking at the other man’s careful concern and he gave a small nod. Nyx’s worry faded away a bit but Prompto could tell he was still unsure and honestly? What had Prompto done to ever deserve someone watching out for him like Nyx was? Someone who was so gentle and considerate and _fuck_ Prompto was getting lost in those eyes again. He mouthed a quick thanks that had tension seeping out of Nyx’s shoulders, before turning to hear what Clarus was telling them.

“-seems like we may have to postpone our visit to the Archaean if that’s the case.” Prompto blinked. Wait what?

“We can’t afford to postpone, no matter if the Empire is there or not. I have to form this covenant.” Luna protested and Prompto blinked again, obvious confusion spreading over his face. What had he missed? He turned to Nyx again as he heard the other chuckle, leaning down so Nyx could whisper in his ear.

“We heard the Empire is camping out the Disc of Cauthess. It’s likely that they’re trying to prevent Luna and the Prince from forming a covenant.” And it was in that moment that Prompto learned how hard it was to focus on the words Nyx was saying instead of the warm breath coating his ear and oh Gods Prompto was sure Nyx’s lips grazed the edge of his ear lobe just then. It was a struggle to suppress the flame burning across his face and he was sure that he failed completely in doing so but Nyx didn’t say a thing about Prompto blushing, however he _did_ smirk as Prompto pulled away from him.

“We have to go, Empire or no Empire. I refuse to fail Noctis now.” Luna declared angrily, standing up out of the car and facing Clarus face on, arms crossed defiantly.

“Princes-Luna, we can’t risk it. We don’t have enough manpower-”

“We are living in a world at war where countless have died for the sake of peace. Forming a covenant allows us a chance at this fabled peace and Clarus I will be _damned_ if I don’t try.” 

_Holy shit_ , Prompto’s mind whispered over the chorus as he stared wide-eyed at Luna, seeing her practically glow with determination and he had no idea when this had happened or if it had been there the whole time but _damn_ it was a good look for her.

Clarus glared back at her for a moment before swinging his head down and sighing.

“Fine. But we have to plan this thoroughly. None of us can afford to get hurt.”

“Understood.” Luna nodded.

“How do you propose we go about this?” Regis asked and Clarus groaned, leaning against the car next to his friend as he dragged a hand down his exasperated face.

“Well, we’ve got my sword, Cor’s katana, your armiger, Nyx’s kukris, the magic of the Ring, Promptos guns and Luna’s healing powers.”

“And my trident! If...if I can get it to appear.” Luna grumbled.

“That too.” Clarus acknowledged, “It’s not a lot.”

Nyx sighed from next to Prompto as Cor crossed his arms, seemingly permanent frown deepening on his. Prompto bit his lip and before he could even stop the words from falling out of his mouth, he spoke up.

“Um, I could always use the...the Scourge. If we need.” His voice dropped off as everyone turned towards him, horrified and shocked expressions painted on their faces.

“No?” He squeaked out.

“No. No Prompto I won’t let you use it, no matter how dire the circumstances.” Luna said, fierce eyes raging as she stared at him.

“But-”

“No ‘buts’, you said it yourself, it’s not safe for you.” Nyx commented with Cor nodding determinedly. Prompto wilted.

“But it helps-”

“Yes Prompto it does help us, but it does not help you and that’s what we cannot accept.” Regis clarified and Prompto felt his face burst in a burning red that singed his skin.

“Awww he’s _blushing_.” Nyx cooed and Prompto punched him in the shoulder.

“Shut up Nyx!” He screeched in an embarrassingly high voice and Luna laughed, tension and fire melting from her figure as she moved over and pinched his cheek.

“Awww, he’s such a _cutie-pie_.” She teased and Prompto batted her hand away.

“Come on guys!” He whined.

“Leave him alone you two,” Clarus smirked, “he looks like he’s about to explode.”

Prompto leaned forward, resting his head in his hands with a nervous smile on his face as everyone erupted into laughter around him and this was new and a little weird but it felt more normal than the past couple days had felt real.

It felt good.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Iggy, next time you decide to fucking bomb the enemy, let us know. Okay?” Gladio grumbled as he stepped over a thoroughly roasted MT soldier. Ignis snorted.

“And have me give away my plan to the enemy? I doubt it.”

“Well at least, like, signal or something!” Noct groaned from he knelt, inspecting Umbra for any burnt hairs.

“It was a dire moment-”

“Ignis you burnt off the tip of your hair.” Gladio pointed out with a grin.

“And your eyebrows.” Noct snorted as he stood up.

“I resent that; I only burnt off parts of my eyebrows, not all of them.” Ignis muttered, fingers reaching up to feel the strange uneven place where his eyebrow was. Well...where it _used_ to be. He froze as he heard Gladio stifle a bout of laughter, turning his dagger sharp glare to the Shield with a petulant yet passive look on his face.

“Stop it.”

Gladio burst out laughing, whole body shaking with the tremendous rumbling force that gripped him as he himself gripped Ignis’ shoulder so he didn’t fall over face-first into the dirt. Noct joined in, stumbling up beside him with Umbra barking happily at his heels.

“I said stop it.” Ignis frowned at the pair of them as they continued to laugh, their joy echoing through the wide open space around them and he huffed a soft bout of air to himself quietly, smile slowly crawling over his face as a sense of normalcy began to make itself present again. All they needed now was Prompto. Ignis sighed, gently pushing Gladio off of him and walking forwards over the still smouldering earth.

“Yes, yes, you’ve both had a great laugh, although I do think it’s high time we move on.” He turned back to face them expectantly.

“Oh come on Iggy, it’s not like-”

“No. No I know that smirk. Stop that Gladiolus.”

“-we’re _burning_ daylight here.”

“ _No_. No I will not tolerate this- _shut up Noctis_.”

“Okay okay, we get it, no need to _fan the flames_ anymore.”

“If you two don’t stop I swear to Ramuh I will-”

“You’ll what? It’s not like you can _fire_ me, I’m your Prince.”

_“Sweet Eos.”_

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto rested his arms on the car door, laying his head down on them and enjoying the breeze that lifted his hair up and made it dance around his head as he closed his eyes. Drowning himself in the feeling of the air and the sounds of Nyx and Luna talking slowly in the car to the tinny tune of the radio and he felt at peace for a second but a second is always too short.

The choir surged slowly, like a rhythmic ocean wave that lapped around his ankles and rose without drawing your attention as it slowly consumed you whole. He turned to the swirling black mass that burned in the recesses of his mind, screaming and spitting vile sounds and words in sentences that were back to front and upside-down. He tried to hush it to sleep but it spat at him and ripped the world out from under his feet, looming over him with one collective, toothy grin.

_YOU WANT TO USE US_

Prompto froze, tense and ready to run like a wild chocobo to some place with light and far away from the face that was tearing itself apart, flesh and muscle and sinew all dripping over his shaking form as the Scourge cackled. 

_YOU WANT US_

No, no, he didn’t want this. He didn’t want the Scourge. He wanted to protect his friends and the people that wanted to protect him. He had to. They all had people they had to get back to and he wanted to make sure they did because they deserved it but-

_It does not help you and that’s what we cannot accept._

If there ever came a time, when none of them could stop whatever horrific onslaught awaited them, then maybe he would reach out to the Scourge and throw himself down into the madness of the gnashing teeth and clawing hands. But that was maybe and it still didn’t mean he wanted them. Still didn’t mean he wanted it.

The Scourge hissed but crept backwards slowly, smile still planted on its twisting face as it seeped into the darkness and Prompto frowned. He opened his eyes to the same frown on his face and to the same tinny tune on the radio, filling the car to the music of Luna and Nyx’s laughter and Prompto felt a smile crept onto his face. How beautiful it was to simply exist with them, to have known them and to have felt this way about them.

When he was seven he’d barely imagined himself becoming Noct’s friend and now he had more people around them than he knew how to deal with. It was stressful, it was tough but...their laughter made it worth it.

Scourge or no Scourge, he’d rather have stayed in Nifleheim then let anyone touch them.


	21. Nobody Else Has You Down...But Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE LOQI TUMMELT GUYS HE WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE IN THIS CHAPTER OH GOSH I LOVE HIM SO DEARLY MY LITTLE BITCH MUFFIN AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Ravus stared at the ground, mind a mixture of endless hues and emotions all looping back to his sister as he worried for her safety. She’d be fine. She was stronger than anyone knew, even herself, and Gentiana was there with her. He was sure of it. If she wasn’t then...then she would’ve answered him. Answered all those times he’d spent screaming her name into a pillow in frustration as the memory of Insomnia falling echoed in his head.

His left hand clinked as he moved it, the shoulder aching where his prosthetic arm connected to the rest of him and he scoffed. It suited him well, a constant reminder showing him just how the Empire was consuming him and his life, taking all those he cared for away. 

_Luna…_

“Yo Fleuret.”

Ravus started up, eyes meeting Loqi Tummelt’s as the young Brigadier General swept into the room, small smirk firmly printed on his face in that mask Ravus had come to know well, _unfortunately_. Loqi pulled a metal chair along the concrete floor, its scraping screeches setting Ravus on edge before the short blond plonked himself down in front of Ravus, sly grin unsettling the older man. 

“What do you want?” He bit out. He wasn’t here to make friends. He was here to help protect Luna...and he’d failed that. _Why was he even here?_

“Wow, harsh. Someone shit crystals into your morning coffee?” Loqi snapped back, smirk turning bitter and eyes sharp. Ravus leaned back from him, steely gaze set on the younger man and Loqi sighed.

“Thought I should let you know about my new assignment.”

Ravus’ silence filled Loqi’s dramatic pause and the blond let out a heavy, long-suffering sigh.

“I’m going to dispatch the King of Lucis, and locate some rogue MT unit 'cause apparently those are a thing.”

“Rogue MT-?”

“For fucks sake Ravus, you’re missing the point completely.” Ravus furrowed his brow and thought deeply.

“The King is alive?”

“Bingo!” Loqi made a pair of finger guns and mimed gunfire at Ravus’ disapproving stare.

“Why should that interest me?”

“Because, if that old geezer was able to make it out I would bet a certain, perky blonde Oracle did too.”

Ravus shot up, eyes wide as he stared down at Loqi from where he now stood.

“You’re sure?”

“As sure as the shore on a beach.”

 _“Loqi-”_ Ravus growled.

“Relax, geez. Yeah I’m sure, honestly, you should have more faith in your sister.” Loqi chided and before Ravus could preach anything else to his uninterested ears, he stood up and dragged the chair back to its sad looking table.

“Do you actually drink coffee?” He asked and Ravus frowned at the sudden and unimportant turn in conversation, but nevertheless followed Loqi’s lead as the blond pulled him around in circles.

“No I don’t, but Loqi-”

“Huh, neither did Conrad.” Loqi sent Ravus a wicked smile as he noticed the older man fall still.

“Conrad?”

“Nope!” Loqi popped the word out like bubblegum and leaned against the table, “Apparently he liked the ol’ shot o’ Bo Brandy at dawn.”

“That hardly seems professional.” Ravus muttered.

“I know right! So I went down to his office to talk with him, he was basically wasted in his chair so I figured some more booze would lull him out of it. Thus I fixed him a drink.”

“Loqi, is this going somewhere?” Ravus sighed, weary eyes pleading with the blond to stop talking.

“Hmm, yeah, I guess. Probably six feet under with Conrad.” He quipped, pushing off from the table and making to exit the room.

“Wait. Conrad’s dead?” Loqi grinned, pulling Ravus round in circles to the climax of their conversation as he spun around in the doorway to level him with a chilling smile.

“Yup! I guess some guys just can’t hold their _arsenic_.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx watched from where he sat next to Prompto as Luna attempted to summon her Trident for the fourth time that day.

“Give it up already, you’re wasting your energy.” He chided, lazily scratching at the scruff on his face as she whirled around angrily, eyes blazing with an intense blue fire.

“Without the Trident I can’t form the covenant with the Archaean! I need this to appear before me.” She turned back around, stretching her hand out again, gold light fizzling around her fingers before effectively sputtering out into nothingness.

“Hmm, maybe you’re not close enough to Titan to summon it yet.” Prompto suggested.

“But how much closer do I have to be?” Luna whined, dropping her arm to her side. She needed her Trident to help Noctis, to start the fight against the Scourge. She had to do this, she had to use her magic and form these covenants no matter the cost. Even if that cost was her life. Her duty and her fear clashed angrily in her head as she froze up at the thought of dying. She had originally not minded the idea of dying, as long as she could do something to help the world move into a better light. But now...what had changed? What encouraged this trembling fear within her?

“Luna?” She turned around, looking into Prompto’s concerned eyes as she found he had moved closer, hand tentatively reaching out.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

“S’okay. Come on, we should help set up camp.” Luna frowned.

“No, no we shouldn’t. We need to keep moving.”

Nyx and Prompto shared a look of concern behind Luna’s back as the former glaive steered her back towards camp with a steady hand placed in-between her shoulder blades.

“Luna, we need to rest. We need to be ready to fight the Empire-”

“Yes, I agree, but we need to keep driving onwards. We will have time to rest once we get close enough, then I can summon my Trident.” She stated, tone solid and stubborn and Nyx surrendered with a sigh.

“But, Luna, the daemons are more active at night. We shouldn’t drive-”

 _“We can handle them.”_ She cut Prompto off. Prompto frowned, why wasn’t she listening? Why was she insisting on being reckless? Shouldn’t she be taking care of herself?

“Come on, let’s just go back to the others.” He mumbled, finding subtle comfort in the way Nyx ceased pushing Luna forward and instead reached over to Prompto, gripping his shoulder reassuringly as the sun set behind them.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“You think we’re ready to head off to the Archaean?” Noct asked, towelling off his hair as he stepped out of the bathroom, steam swirling behind him and floating up to the ceiling of their room at Galdin Quay.

“No.” Ignis replied, short and sharp as he served up their dinner.

“Why not?” Noct barely held himself back from whining, letting the towel hang around his neck as he sat down at the table across from Gladio where the Shield drummed his fingers against the tabletop.

“We’re lacking in power, I think it’s best we search for other royal tombs and build up our artillery...just in case the rumours are true.” Ignis answered, setting their meals down in front of them, sitting down himself and spinning his spaghetti around his fork.

“You really think the Empire’s staking out old Titan?” Gladio asked, slurping up his spaghetti and Ignis frowned as he noticed the sauce fly.

“I do. If what Lady Lunafreya has said is true, then the Empire is most likely attempting to stop the Prophecy.”

“Makes sense since they’re using the Scourge and shit.” Gladio spoke around the food in his mouth and Ignis’ eye twitched.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” He chided, but his words fell on deaf ears as Gladio shrugged and shovelled more food into his mouth much to Ignis’ dismay.

“If the Empire’s staking out Titan then...do you think the others will be alright?” Noct asked, cutting out a bit of meatball and handing it to Umbra who sat on his right, eyes wide, lighting up at the presence of food.

Ignis looked to Gladio, sharp gaze causing the Shield to pause, chew some more and swallow his food before answering their Prince.

“They’ll be fine Noct, they’re a capable bunch.”

“It’s true, they did survive Nifleheim’s invasion. I would say they are strong and that we have no reason to fear for their safety.” Noct frowned and looked up at them as the sounds of Umbra snorting and snuffling while he ate surfaced from underneath the table.

“But what if something goes wrong?” 

Gladio sighed, put his bowl down and reached out to Noct, hand landing heavily on his shoulder with his usual rough friendliness.

“Nothing will go wrong Noct, they’ll stick together and kick the Empire’s ass. It’ll be fine.”

“Gladio’s right,” Ignis agreed, ignoring the way Gladio’s eyes lit up childishly, “we should be worrying about our own situation at the moment. We need to collect more royal weapons for your armiger and we must secure a route to Altissia.”

Noct groaned, leaning over his bowl with a dramatically pained look on his face as Umbra whined for more food.

“The ferry’s out and as far as I know, we don’t own a boat.” He muttered, twisting spaghetti around his fork sloppily and shoving it into his mouth.

“Wonder why the ferry’s out.” Gladio mumbled.

“It is concerning.” Ignis sighed, taking a sip of his water before succumbing to Umbra’s pleading eyes and chopping up a meatball, placing it on a separate plate before putting it down on the floor for Umbra to eat.

“What do you guys think of that weird dude?” Noct asked, eyes furrowing as he squinted through his food, looking for vegetables.

“Which one? The world’s full of ‘em.” Gladio snorted.

“Do you mean the ‘man of no consequence’?” Ignis asked, smiling as he watched Umbra wolf down his food (at least _someone_ appreciated his cooking, regardless of vegetables or not...where was Prompto when you needed him?).

“Yeah, that one.” Noct nodded, pointing at Ignis with his fork.

“Ah, slimy purple guy.” Gladio bit out, “I don’t know about you guys but something about him rubbed me up the wrong way.”

“Tell me about it,” Noct scoffed, “guy was exuding creepy all over the boardwalk.”

“Yes well, let us pray we don’t meet him again.” Ignis quipped, standing up with his empty bowl and looking at the other two with a sharp gaze, “There’s more if you want more. I’m going to have my shower now.”

“You’re a saint Iggy!” Gladio grinned, standing up and making his way over to the left-overs.

“Yes, yes, just make sure you leave some for Noct.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“No.” Clarus turned away from Luna, continuing to clean the dishes with Regis next to him, the former King's eyes soft and apologetic.

“But we need to keep moving! We _have_ to meet with Titan-” 

“As soon as possible, yeah I know. I got that Luna, but if we set out for a long drive through daemon infested lands at night then not only will we end up exhausted but also, possibly, dead.”

“It’s a risk we have to take.” Luna argued and Clarus sighed.

“Luna, we’re already stretched thin from all the hunts we’ve had to take on in the past couple days. We need to rest up and plan.”

“Clarus is right Luna,” Regis spoke up softly and Luna’s tough demeanour fell, “I won’t risk anyone, we have to be cautious about this.”

Luna’s face crumpled into sadness and she felt her thoughts roll over her like waves; she needed to get to the Archaean, she needed her Trident, why wasn’t anything working? Why couldn't she make this work? She was the Oracle, she had some form of power, she _should_ be able to make this work!

_But is it truly alright to sacrifice those you care for in order to accomplish these goals?_

Luna shook her head as the memory of Gentiana’s voice rang around her mind, no she shouldn’t. If anyone was going to sacrifice themselves, it would be her.

“Alright, but...can we start planning at least?” She asked.

Clarus and Regis shared a look that flew above Luna’s head before turning back to her.

“Alright, we’ll work with the info we’ve got.” 

Luna lit up and smiled at them.

“Thank you!”

“Yeah yeah, we’re not rushing into this though, well, I mean if you decide that you can take on the whole Nifleheim army then be my guest. It’s your funeral.” Clarus huffed and Luna’s smile softened, a sad sombre note toying with her lips slightly.

 _Yes_ , she thought, _it might just be._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Loqi!”

Loqi turned away from Aranea and frowned.

“He never uses my first name, unless it's something bad, why is he using my first name?” He muttered to Aranea who shrugged and leaned against her lance lazily as Ravus came to a stop in front of them.

“Sorry if you didn’t notice Fleuret, but I’m kinda busy right now, got a mission and all, you can confess your undying love for me when I get back.” Loqi chattered and Ravus glared at him.

“Your mission, it explicitly stated that you only dispatch the King and the rogue MT?”

“Well, it didn’t ask me to dispatch the MT, just to find it-”

 _“Loqi.”_ Ravus growled at the shorter man who breathed out an over the top suffering sigh.

“Of what I read of the documents, yes.” He replied, voice snapping into a sudden professional tone that caught Aranea off-guard as she looked him up and down with furrowed eyes.

“If you find Lu-” Ravus caught himself, swallowing nerves down painfully as he searched his pockets, “If you find the Oracle, pass this onto her.” Loqi frowned, crossing his arms.

“I’m not some fucking messenger Fleuret, pass it on yourse-”

“Loqi,” Ravus cut him off, voice ragged and desperate, Loqi’s eyes widening at the vulnerable tone, _“please.”_

Loqi, stunned, looked to Aranea who wearily shrugged.

“It’s your choice shortstack.”

Loqi groaned and turned back to Ravus, rolling his eyes in surrender and holding out his hand.

“Alright fine, hand it over.”

Ravus pulled out the item, an intricate silver pendant on a delicate chain, a glowing blue gem set heavy in the centre as it was placed carefully in Loqi’s hand. Everyone knew of this necklace, it was always hanging up on Ravus’ wall in his quarters, but only a few knew where it came from. Loqi only knew because he hacked into Ravus’ files, only knew that it was late Queen Syl-

 _“Don’t break it.”_ Ravus warned him, cutting over his inner monologue and Loqi scoffed, fingers curling over the pendant tightly before he shoved it into his most secure pocket.

“Don’t fret, it’s safe with me.” Ravus nodded.

“Thank you.”

“ _Psshawww_ , if you really wanted to thank me you would give me a vacation.” Loqi shrugged off the sentimental atmosphere and pulled back the distance between them, the gap that originated from their mutual lack of understanding...well...the lack of understanding Loqi desperately wished was there because like hell was he ever getting attached to anyone on his side again. Never again.

He threw Ravus a shit-eating smile and grabbed the front of his uniform, pulling him down to his height and kissing him slowly. He smiled into it as he felt Ravus’ immediate disgust before pulling away, winking at the taller man and releasing him, climbing into his airship where the pilots waited patiently for him.

“Don’t wait up!” He waved dismissively to the pair left behind as the door closed and the airship lifted off in a burst of hot air, disappearing out the bay and into the perpetual snow-storm that surrounded Nifleheim.

Ravus groaned, eyes set in a glare as he wiped his mouth.

“Does he always have to be so fucking dramatic?” He asked Aranea who threw him a predatory smile, teeth sharp and gleaming in the neon light.

“It’s _Loqi._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loqi is great and fantastic and I love him, I want to write more of him oh boy this is gonna be _good_


	22. Kindred

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too...

“Alright, we’ve certainly got a lot of manpower.” Clarus remarked as the group settled around the campfire once more, Prompto and Cor both sweaty and bruised as Luna fluttered over them, gold light dripping from her hands into their wounds.

“And we’ve got plenty of potions to help heal us.” Regis replied, patting the bag beside him.

“I can also help heal if need be.” Luna supplied, a warm smile on her face as she looked up to the others.

“Only in the worst case scenarios, we can’t rely on you all the time Luna.” Clarus chided her. She glared at him until he sighed in defeat, “I guess if someone doesn’t have access to a potion-”

“Then I will heal them!” She declared, standing up proudly as Prompto mumbled gratefully while Cor grunted, the both of them testing their healed wounds gingerly. Nyx sat next to Prompto and cheekily poked one of Prompto’s freshly healed injuries, earning himself a startled yelp and thump on the head from Luna.

“Yes well, apart from our own assets and the knowledge that the Empire has most likely staked out the Archaean we have nothing else.” Regis concluded with a solemn sigh as Clarus nodded next to him, sombre eyes staring the dying fire.

“No idea how many soldiers there are.” Nyx commented.

“No idea the kind of weaponry they have.” Cor added.

“No idea of the layout of the Disc.” Luna sighed, flopping down next to Regis.

Everyone sat around the fire in a depressing silence, the air devoid of their usual laughter and conversation as the reality of the situation settled around them. They were completely and utterly in the dark with no way of gaining any more information. The didn’t have any sources. No leads. Clarus turned around and grabbed another piece of firewood, throwing it carelessly onto the fire that licked hungrily at the new fuel.

“I could get us two of those things.” Prompto spoke up. While Nyx, Cor and Luna turned to him in confusion Clarus and Regis felt horror dawn on their faces.

“No, we told you we don’t want you using the Scourge-” Regis began before Prompto cut him off.

“We need this information though! And it was fine back in Insomnia, besides, I don’t mind. I can handle this. Let me do this.”

Regis looked at Clarus, ignoring the chatters of concern from the other members of their wayward group who remained in the dark over this ability of Prompto’s. Clarus looked like he had resigned himself to this fate, he was getting softer, must be Luna and Prompto wearing down his stubborn will, must be the fact he misses his own children.

“Fine. But only if you’re sure you can handle it.” Clarus responded to Prompto and the blond nodded determinedly.

“Don’t strain yourself.” Regis warned and Prompto smiled.

“I’ll be fine.”

He closed his eyes.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The choir was a massive hulking swell this evening, pulsating and throbbing like a migraine and he walked towards it. Hand outstretched.

_Answer me_

Everything went black and screams tore through him, ripping him apart like shrapnel and ricocheting bullets and it was so incredibly painful, he’d never heard this many voices before. All lost and hopeless. Daemons. The Scourge of their barks and yowls and screeches shredding his skin but Prompto had to keep going, had to keep pushing as he felt the force of the Scourge peel away his skin and tear is muscles, stripping sinews out of him one by one that he dragged along behind him as he searched.

Claws gripped at his ankles and he tripped, stumbling face first into the guck that laid beneath him, the wriggling black goo surging into his mouth and up his nose and he felt like this was death, it had to be death, it hurt so much. No no no, this wasn’t happening. Like hell he was letting this happen, this Scourge was a part of _him_ , not the other way 'round, and he would fucking use it however he goddamn pleased.

He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, the voices drowning under a bubbling and gurgling of water as he looked up, blue eyes shining and turning purple as red filtered through them until he could sense it. The hands on his shoulders guiding him over the land, he’d never gone this far before but he could. He would for Regis and everyone, to help them. He could do this.

He looked over the glowing figure of the Archaean and surveyed the flickering red lights of the MTs. Their hums slow and soft, they were on stand-by. Where was their commanding officer? He turned to his right, the water moving and building a new bridge over the land as he sensed louder hum of static, a heartbeat in a tin cage. The commanding officer was on their way it seemed. Weapons? So many. This didn’t look good.

Prompto pulled away from the strong grip of the Scourge, flesh tearing as their nails dug into his skin, pleading with him to let them go, to kill, to save, to destroy. He shuddered as their faces warped and mouths and teeth became glued to eyes and he wanted to scream because this was _inside him._

_USE US_

_SAVE US_

_DESTROY_

He jerked backwards and fell off the log onto the ground, eyes blearily looking up at Nyx and Cor’s startled faces before Luna’s own concerned face blocked theirs out.

“Prompto! Are you okay?”

Prompto blinked, eyelids scratching his eyes as the black goo solidified into an uncomfortable crust on his face. He took Nyx’s offered hand and let himself be pulled back up.

“I’m good, ugh, so gross.” He said, peeling the hardened Scourge off his face and sticking his tongue out as it bubbled and hissed in-between his fingers. He tried to shrug off Luna’s hands as she gently placed them on his temples but gold light flooded his head and the choir was silent and it was so warm and soft, Prompto was sure he could fall asleep right then and there.

“Prompto,” Regis’ voice reached his ears, soft yet insistent and Prompto fought to open at least one of his eyes, meeting the older man’s patient gaze, “What can you tell us?”

Prompto squeezed his eyes shut, swaying slightly until he felt himself fall onto someone’s shoulder. Alright, deep breaths now, take it easy.

“Thirty MT units are currently stationed at the Disc with no commanding officer, they have with them a range of weapons, but mainly firearms. The commanding officer isn’t at the Disc yet, in fact they’ll reach the Disc some time tomorrow judging at the speed of their fleet of airships however due to the weather patterns they will most likely be slowed down since Ramuh is raging over the mountains they would want to take since it’s the shortest route to the Archaean. I can’t tell who the commanding officer is but they are bringing with them three mechs, one of which is of considerable size. They are also bringing more MT units, probably around forty more. They each have their own gun and then there’s also the guns on the airships themselves.” Prompto yawned and rolled his head back onto the shoulder supporting him, the gold light guiding him softly to sleep. A blond lady humming a soft lullaby the last thing he thought he saw as his eyes closed.

“...did anyone get that?” Nyx asked, wide-eyed as his mind wrapped around all the information Prompto had spilled out in a monotone voice that had scared the former glaive, he’d become so used to Prompto’s usual bright and bubbly chirps that anything different concerned him.

“I got the jist.” Clarus sighed, running a hand over his shaven head.

“And?” Nyx prompted.

“Seems like we’ve got a lot in our way when we get to the Archaean.” Cor summed up for Clarus, eyes trained on the young blond leaning against him, peacefully sleeping as daemon howled in the distance.

“We know what we’re up against at least.” Regis mumbled sleepily, stifling a yawn as the fire flickered in the dark between them all and Luna frowned. They didn’t know much and she wished they knew more so they could move on already but...she looked back down to Prompto as she pulled her hands away, gold light fading gently back into her skin. 

Prompto had used the Scourge to help them, and she had seen his face during it, scrunched up in pain and flinching silently at invisible monsters that she couldn’t even begin to protect him from.

How could she help him?

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

A pillow hit him square in the face, his startled eyes snapping open and wincing at the sudden sunlight glaring at him. He groaned and cursed the loud rumbling laughter that he knew was coming from Gladio.

“Shove off.” He mumbled, rolling onto his stomach and hugging his pillow. His momentary peace didn’t last long as Gladio ripped the blankets off of him, leaving him exposed to cool air. Noct yelped and shot upright.

“What the fuck Gladio?!” He screeched.

“What? It wasn’t me.” Gladio grinned, “It was the dog.”

Noct looked to Umbra who was panting happily at seeing Noct awake before he tilted his head, floppy ears dropping in consideration as he noticed Noct still wasn’t out of bed.

“Like _Hell_ it was.” Noct snapped.

“Honest!” Gladio urged, smile bubbling at his lips and yeah, like Noct was going to believe that.

Ignis sighed as he flipped through the newspaper to the sounds of Noct and Gladio arguing, yet another day in paradise. A small whine erupted from his right and he looked down to see Umbra, staring at him with wide eyes, begging for food. Ignis smiled softly and put his paper down.

“Alright, how about I get you some breakfast?”

Umbra barked happily in response and Noct cut across Ignis’ momentary peace with a curse.

“Shit! We can’t let the staff know we’ve got a dog in here!”

Umbra barked again and Ignis groaned.

This was going to be a long day.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto woke up and groaned groggily, the early morning light seeping through the tent and gently illuminating his face. He suddenly understood what Noct felt like in the morning as he groaned and rolled over onto his side, a few more minutes couldn’t hurt. His blue eyes shot open wide as he saw the person lying next to him. Wasn’t he supposed to be sharing with Nyx? _Why was Luna here?!_

Luna stirred and froze. Shit. He didn’t mean to wake her, oh man. Her eyes fluttered open softly and she yawned but it came out more like a squeak and Prompto desperately attempted to stifle a snort but failed miserably and she sent him a cheeky, but tired, smile.

“How dare you laugh at me at...what’s the time?” She asked, voice slurring and Prompto forgot his earlier embarrassment, rolling onto his back and looking up at the ceiling of their tent.

“Early?” Luna snorted out a laugh and stretched her arms lazily before letting them flop above her head, shielding her eyes from the sunlight.

“You okay?” Prompto asked, watching as a rueful and somewhat bitter smile tugged at her lips.

“As okay I can be for the moment.” She replied, tone too hard for the soft morning around them and Prompto frowned.

“You don’t sound it.” She sighed and rolled onto her side, looking at him with sombre eyes.

“How do I help you?” She whispered and Prompto fell still, allowing the silence to fill the space between them, dancing with specks of dust that gleamed like the stars that had hung above their heads last night. Stars that danced around Luna’s head like a crown.

“Help...me?” He echoed and she nodded, a slight pout appearing on her lips.

“The Scourge...when you used it earlier to sense the MTs, I saw it hurting you. What is it to you? Why does it hurt you?” She asked while Prompto rolled back onto his side to face her properly, eyes mournful and clouded with the misery of memories.

“It’s...it’s kinda alive.”

“Alive?”

He took a deep breath, this was fine, it was fine to talk about, he was fine, _everything was fi-_ Luna moved her hand up to grip his gently and he looked into her eyes, hoping that the “thank you” behind his retinas was seen.

“Um, yeah, it has faces and uh, faces? It’s really…” He trailed off. She waited patiently for him, hands squeezing his, reassuring him, reminding him that she was here, that she was still here with him.

“It’s really scary.” He whispered and he hated how broken his voice sounded when he admitted it, when he said it out loud. When he recalled how the tar swallowed him whole with gleaming, razor-sharp teeth and wicked cackles ringing in his ears and clawing at his eyes until the only thing he could see and feel was darkness and the only thing he could hear was himself crying amongst the sounds of rabid and feral joy from something so much more older than him, something so ancient and primordial that only ever found joy in tormenting him. He hated this, he was scared, why did it have to be him that survived with this _thing_ inside him, why did he have to be tormented, what had he done to deser-

Luna let go of his hand and with a small “Oh Prompto” she pulled him close to her, tucking his head under hers and placing him on her neck and hugging him carefully as he realised he was trembling against her strong and steady frame and wow. He...he hadn’t had this before. Not with Noct. Not with Iggy. Not with Gladio. He had...he had never felt so raw and open and vulnerable, not even when the Citadel was falling on his head, but here in Luna’s heavenly embrace he felt like he was so completely and utterly exposed, even as her arms shielded him from the outside world.

It felt nice.

Exposing all his wounds like this. Crying into her soft skin as memories swelled with the choirs squeals and nauseous bubbling. He was aware he was blubbering, and that it was gross, and that he probably shouldn’t be ruining Luna’s outfit like this but he hadn’t realised how much he had needed this before until she had hugged him and listened and oh...he was rambling.

“-I just didn’t want to be like this, why did I have to be like this? What happened? What happened to me? Why did I turn out like this? This _mess_ , this broken _thing-_ ”

“Prompto, Prompto please. _Shhh_ , it’s okay to be a mess, it’s fine. Prompto look at me, all of us here are a mess, maybe not in the same way you consider yourself to be but we still are and we can help you as best we can with your problems using our own as guides. Prompto please, it’s okay you turned out like this, you are still so beautiful and you are my friend. Scourge or no Scourge, I wouldn’t have you any other way Prompto. _Shhh_ , it’s okay to cry. You can cry now.”

And he did. He cried for what felt like 10 years. 10 years of raw, painful memories bursting forth as hot and salty tears that streamed down his face and soaked Luna’s clothes as she continued to rub his back with her hand, in soft circles and stroking lines that ran along his spine, easing the Scourge’s grip that it held over him with soft gold light glowing under skin. 

He cried and she stayed, comforting him in silence, speaking when he needed her to and pulling him closer and he forgot all the good for the sake of realising all the bad, for the sake of realising all his bad and how awful it was, crying over everything so horrifically wrong in his life with relieving shakes and shudders until he felt emptied of all his tears and his eyes burnt and stung against the fresh air and she didn’t let go. 

She refused to let go.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi flipped through the extra documents they had given him, going through and reading over every word carefully because, contrary to popular belief, he was actually pretty damn good at his job _fuck you Aranea._

He paused over the description of the rogue MT.

_Wild card. Approach with caution. Blond, blue eyes. Gained the Gleipnir coding._

Well fuck. Gleipnir huh? Loqi frowned, chewing his gum slowly as he mulled it over in his head. An escaped MT unit that most likely had gained a mind and personality in the time it had spent away from Nifleheim. Where the fuck had it been all these years? Why were they looking for it now?

Loqi looked out the window, blowing his bubblegum out to size, paying no mind as it covered his vision slowly with a soft, hissing sound.

He wondered if the MT unit was a good guy.

Wondered if they had friends.

Wondered how nice it must’ve been, to have escaped so young, to have been able to have seen a life where they weren’t perpetually trapped behind the Empire’s bars of coding. 

A life where they didn’t need to push people away for fear of being hurt again and again _and again and agai-_

The bubblegum popped and he wondered if the MT was like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...so I stayed in the darkness with you


	23. The Archaean

Cor looked out of the rocky ranges to the entrance of the Disc. He could spot a collection of MT units, all armed and on alert, red eyes scanning the landscape and Cor frowned. This wouldn’t be easy.

“Can you see them?” Prompto whispered and Cor gave a short nod in response before ducking down.

“What about any other way in?” The blond asked, voice weakly hopeful but Cor cut the idea down quickly.

“Unless you feel like learning how to rock climb a twenty metre high cliff face, I suggest we fight.” Cor turned around and began sneaking back to the others as Prompto groaned, following him and grumbling about how they could never get the easy way.

The trek back was smooth, no close calls with the MTs or daemons and the pair eventually made it back safely to the others.

“Everything clear?” Cor nodded at Clarus who stood taller, leaving the Immortal to watch as his best friend shifted from man to Shield before his eyes, sword summoned before him and held tightly in his grasp. Everyone followed his lead, summoning their weapons in flashes of blue light and Cor watched as Prompto handed his spare gun to Luna.

“Regis, you’re with me. Cor watch over Luna, make sure you get her through and escort her to the Archaean. Nyx, Prompto, cause as much chaos as you can, get the MTs distracted.” Clarus instructed.

“Please,” Prompto scoffed with a wavering voice, “chaos is my middle name!”

Nyx snorted wryly, looking away as Prompto threw a childish glare his way and Cor repressed a smirk as he heard Luna giggle.

“Everyone ready?”

They all turned to Clarus, hands restless on their weapons, sweating at the palms on guns and flicking kukris around anxiously as steady hands tightened their grip on the katana.

“Stick together.” Regis warned softly and Prompto threw him a crooked, yet reassuring, smile. Clarus huffed out a small grin and readied his sword as Regis prepared to summon the armiger.

“Let’s go.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“How much further to the Archaean?” Loqi groaned, lifting his feet up onto the control panel of the airship and taking delight in how the pilot freaked out.

“W-We should be there in twenty minutes. Sir!” The pilot added hurriedly as Loqi levelled the man with a unhappy quirked eyebrow.

“Good thing we planned the route ahead of time.” _Damn Ramuh_ , he added mentally as he stood up. The blond walked to the back of the airship and cooed lovingly at the sight of his mech.

“Hey honey, did you miss me?” He patted the leg of the mech, smiling as the echo of solid metal rang in the hollow airship. It had been so long since he’d last taken his mech out for a spin and, to be honest, it was the only reason he was going on this mission at all. He grinned, leaning against the mech, excitement flooding his veins.

“Oh this is gonna be fun~!”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Chaos. Okay, he could do chaos, heck he had Scourge running through his blood, he could handle a little bit of chaos. Prompto ducked out from behind the rock and shot an MT unit in the eye, watching as it fizzled and cried in a static voice, collapsing to its knees. The other MTs around it reacted, turning and lifting their guns only to be cut down by a sudden streak of blue light and a savage smirk. Prompto raised his gun and quickly shot at a few other MTs, keeping them off Nyx’s back as he worked on hacking down the ones he had attracted. He cursed as his bullets ricocheted off harmlessly. Re-load, retry. Another few shots and two MTs fell down with garbled screams.

He flinched and wondered if Nyx could hear that. He glanced at the older man and frowned as he saw no reaction. Well, Nyx was used to the battlefield, maybe he was just used to hearing the screams of the dead. Oh jeez, that wasn’t a pleasant thought. Think pleasant thoughts...like how Noct looked after a morning spar with Gladio, skin glistening and eyes flashing a happy blue and-

“Shit!” Prompto yelped as an MT swung an axe down on him. Oh this was different, this must be the other weapons they had brought. He shot at it uselessly, he could hear Nyx call out in concern and before he could even think of kicking the unit in the face a flash of blue light cut through the MT swiftly. He turned around and flashed a smile at Regis.

“Thanks!”

“Keep your guard up!” Clarus shouted to him, charging through and levelling three MTs with one swing. Was that ever not going to be terrifying? No. Was it ever not going to be cool? _Hell no._

Prompto bounced on the balls of his feet and continued firing at the MTs as Luna passed behind him, Cor at her side. The Immortal sliced the MT units in half and took Luna’s hand, dragging her through the battle and the sounds of metal on metal. An MT leaped out and grabbed her shoulder, she winced and cried aloud in alarm but before even Cor could react, she lifted the gun Prompto had lent her and shot the MT directly in the face, the bullet ripping through its visor and shredding its synthetic face.

“Go!” Nyx shouted to the pair and pulled an MT off their trail, snapping its neck and letting it fall to the ground, “We’ve got this!”

Luna nodded shakily before letting Cor pull her up and past the rocks, away from the scuffle and shouts and towards her destiny. Her fate.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Wow, never thought I’d see Commander Fleuret _worried._ ”

Ravus groaned, resting his forehead against his clasped hands as Aranea sauntered her way into the room. She twisted her lance in her hand and sighed.

“Pull yourself together.” She ordered and Ravus glared at her.

“I can’t just pull myself together, my sister is out there-”

“Most likely in danger and probably kicking ass. Trust me, she’ll be fine.” Aranea cut him off, voice bored and balancing on the edge of annoyed.

“You can’t possibly know that.” He hissed, turning his gaze away from her, glare becoming harder as he heard Aranea release a long suffering sigh.

“Look, flower power, speaking on behalf of my people,” Ravus snorted, “we women are pretty good in a fight. In fact, we’re practically lethal.” She paused, waiting for his response and groaning when he refused to meet her eyes.

“Fine, bitch and moan. See if I care.” 

Ravus only looked up when he was sure she had left, eyes mournful and clouded with concern. He knew Luna was powerful, that she was impossibly strong, but he...he couldn’t help but worry...because she was his last fragment of family and the idea of happiness that came with it. He needed to be sure she was okay. He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed that Loqi would return with news of Luna.

He couldn’t do much else but hope.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto sprinted for cover as a lone MT singled him out, unleashing a barrage of bullets his way. He winced as some caught the edges of his skin, ripping him open and pulling blood out of him in delicate little droplets that splattered the ground.

 _“Shit!”_ He hissed as he leaned against a rock, desperately reloading his gun as he heard the steady clank clank clank of the MTs feet moving forward towards him. He fumbled with the bullets and saw if he could hear any of the others. There was the familiar sound of Nyx’s warp and clangs of metal and a sound remarkably similar to that of a soda can being crushed in someone’s fist. That was probably Clarus.

It didn’t sound like anyone could come over and help.

“Damn it!” He whimpered as the footsteps got closer. Okay, okay, breathe. He could handle this, he had to handle this. He was Prompto Chaos Argentum and he could handle an MT unit on his own. Heck yeah.

An MT with an axe leaped over his cover ahead of the one with a gun and Prompto whipped around just in time to duck the blow that would have permanently separated his head from his shoulders.

“FUCK!” He yelled, rushing backwards and unfortunately out of his cover. He heard the gunfire and dropped to the ground to roll back as fast as he could, crying out in pain as he felt bullets slice him open. When he was back on his feet and as safe as he could be, he looked down and saw the deep cuts across his legs and abdomen. Oh no, oh this was so bad. No! No, he could handle this, he had to handle this. Okay, gunfire was an issue, he couldn’t properly fight the MT that was just _dying_ to axe him a question. Take care of the big guns first.

He sprinted from the MT with an axe and directed his fire on the one with a firearm, complaining under his breath as he saw his bullets ricochet. Shit, should he try and get close? He didn’t even realise he was already trying until he was about three feet in front of the MT which had decided to open fire again. _Oh boy._

He lifted his gun as fast he could and jammed the barrel under the MTs helmet, firing off six shots mercilessly and desperately trying to ignore the scream that erupted from within. He watched the MT fall to the ground and turned around violently, ready to shoot but the axe MT practically tackled him, pinning him to the ground and Prompto struggled, watching as the MT bent its arm unnaturally to retrieve the axe attached to its back.

“No no no no no!” He cried as the axe got drawn closer and closer to his neck and he struggled against the weight of the MT. Gun! Gun! Where was his gun?! He tried aiming it with his shaking hands but he knew better then to pull the trigger; he didn’t have a solid shot, he didn’t know where the barrel was pointing, what if he shot himself instead??

“Prompto!” His head snapped to his right just in time to see Nyx warp over and kick the MT off of him. He felt like he could breathe again, lungs heaving with new-found freedom as Nyx pulled him up and positioned him behind him, out of harm's way.

“You okay?” Nyx asked, kukris ready as the axe MT began to collect itself with jerky movements.

“Peachy keen.” Prompto coughed out.

“Stay close okay?” Before Prompto could really respond Nyx had warped over to the axe MT, bobbing and weaving around its unstable swings, leaving Prompto to turn and...collapse. He grasped at his head as the choir surged painfully, pressing at the backs of his eyes so much so that he thought they were about to pop out.

_Not now!!_

Please not now, please don’t get him killed.

_ABOVE_

_MORE_

_SENSE_

_SEE_

Prompto looked up and into the sky and sure enough, there in the distance was a fleet of airships, about five of them.

“Fuuuuuucckk.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Do you think they’re okay?” Luna asked, panting heavily as Cor rushed her up the rocky path towards Titan.

“Of course.” Cor replied gruffly but Luna could hear the seed of doubt in his voice and it threw her off. They were capable fighters, but the Empire was crafty, who knows what they would throw at her companions.

“Shit.” She turned around, looking at Cor in surprise before following his gaze to the skyline. Vague dots hung in the distance amongst the clouds, moving closer. Only one nation had vehicles able to do that.

“The Empire.” She breathed in horror.

“Keep moving.” Cor ordered, hand on her back, pushing her onwards. She shoved him away, eyes burning angrily.

“And what about the others?!” She cried, desperation gripping her as he hold on the gun in her hand tightened.

“They’ll be fine.” Cor bit out.

“And if they’re not?!” 

“...Trust them Luna.” Luna inhaled in shock as Cor looked at her with sombre eyes, “It’s all we can do.”

She forced her gaze away from him and to the flaming ground, her breathing slowing into something remarkably steady and she nodded, mumbling a soft “okay” before allowing Cor to direct her on, guiding her up the steep climb with careful movements to where Titan waited for her.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis pushed back a wild MT with his armiger and watched as Clarus dealt the final blow, the head sparking and crackling with electricity before sputtering out and dying quietly.

“You two good?”

Regis turned with a warm smile ready as Nyx and Prompto joined them, but his smile was wiped off as he saw Prompto’s horrified face.

“We’ve got incoming!” He warned them.

The three of them turned to where he pointed and saw airships looming, closing the distance between them and Clarus grunted, readying his sword.

“You boys ready for round two?”

“If I say no does that mean I can sit out?” Prompto asked, a meek, teasing smile on his face that was eradicated by Clarus’ stern gaze.

“Just checking.” The blond mumbled, reloading his gun with shaking hands. Regis rested a hand on the younger man’s shoulder with concern.

“Are you alright Prompto?”

“Yeah I’m-” _HUNGRY HUNGRY LET US OUT DESTROY KILL THEM SAVE US DESTROY FIGHT SLAUGHTER BLOOD FOR BLOOD LET IT BLEED_ “-great!” He squeaked, vision spinning as he stumbled backwards slightly but Regis kept him upright.

“What’s wrong?” Nyx asked, hand on Prompto’s other shoulder.

“The Scourge…” He mumbled, hand lifting up to cradle his head, pain flashing across his face as voices erupted in his head, faces pressing forwards with horrific anger, seething with gnashing teeth and haunting wails as the airships pulled up, slowing down and opening their doors, MTs flooding out, weapons ready.

“For fucks sake!” Clarus growled as the horde surged forward towards them.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Almost there Lunafreya.” Cor reassured her as she swayed on her feet, the sweltering heat eroding her focus, drowsiness gently nipping at the edges of her mind as her eyes blearily took in the curve of the path ahead of them.

“Almost...where...where is my Trident?” She asked. Cor stopped, steadying her as she reached out and attempted summoning the Trident of Bahamut. The pair watched as gold light fizzled before sparking, crackling like ice, the Trident appearing in her hand, the sudden weight knocking her off-balance and to her knees, arms wrapped around the Trident for support.

_It is time._

“It is.” Luna grunted in response to Gentiana’s echo, taking Cor’s offered shoulder and leaning against him as he helped her around the corner and to the edge of an outcropping, overlooking the mighty and looming form of the Archaean as He kneeled, eyes closed, meteor on his back. She swallowed nervously, pushing off of Cor and walking forward, each step ringing out with the chants of _‘death death death’_ , Trident heavy in her hand.

“Nap time’s over.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi looked out from the open airship door and groaned. He could easily spot the rogue MT, given that the boy was the only blond person there, but the King of Lucis…

“Which one of you old geezers is the King?” He called out and was met with stunned silence.

“W-What?” The rogue MT called back, voice frail and wavering.

“I don’t know which one you are, so hurry up and tell me. I don’t have all day you know.” He chimed, crossing his arms and tapping his foot on the metal floor.

“Um...sorry but how the hell do you not know who the King is?” The other relatively young man called out, head flitting around to all the still MT units that were frozen a mere two metres away from them.

“Fuck, I don’t read the paper, I don’t watch the news. Shut up already and hand yourself over Mr King.” Loqi barked.

“No thanks.” One of the old guys called back and Loqi nearly screamed.

“ _Come on!!_ ” He screeched, “Don’t make this any more difficult than it already i-oh! Hey, do you have the Oracle with you?”

Dead silence.

“She went up ahead didn’t she?” Loqi asked.

“N-No?” The rogue MT stuttered and Loqi laughed.

“Oh man, you suck at lying!” He giggled.

“Hey!”

“Oh well, I guess I’ll give it to her later,” He trailed off, voice dissipating as he patted the pocket he had put the pendant in, better make sure it was safe otherwise Fleuret would kill him, “but for now!! I shall grace you all with my wondrous, luminous presence!” He bowed for extra flair and was met with stone cold silence.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know who I am.” He called out to the small group and watched as the supposed King shrugged.

“To be fair, you didn’t know who I was either.”

“True,” Loqi nodded, moving over to his mech and sliding himself in, “but, sorry to tell you, I’ll be the only one still alive at the end of the day.”

He smirked and closed the hatch, deploying his mech onto the battlefield and behind the MT units, hearing the other two MTs he’d been sent deploy and land around him.

“So,” He chirped, “who wants to die first?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _OH HO HO HO HO_


	24. Dark Thoughts

“Go go go!!” Prompto yelled, sprinting alongside Nyx towards cover as not only the MTs but the mechs and airships, opened fire on the four of them. He stumbled and was pretty sure he saw his life flash before his eyes (and, surprise surprise, it was basically just him pining for Noct, wonderful) when Nyx scooped him up around the waist and warped with him to the shelter, hopping over the rocks and collapsing behind them, the sounds of bullets cracking through the earth centimetres from their backs.

Prompto clutched as his waist, fighting back the urge to hurl as Nyx panted beside him.

“Sorry, had to move fast.” He explained in-between breaths and Prompto nodded shakily in response as he felt his equilibrium settle back into place. He looked over to his left and saw Clarus and Regis duck for cover, the former monarch grabbing at his knee, pained and frustrated look on his face.

“We got any plans?!” Nyx called over to Clarus and the Shield turned around to him, eyes wide and exasperated.

“How about you give me a minute and we’ll see!!” Clarus shouted back and Prompto groaned, fear creeping in as he listened to the heavy gunfire around them and the marching, pounding steps of the mechs lurching closer. The Scourge erupted within him, spewing words like hot ash from a volcano and goading him slowly like lava running down a mountainside.

A hand grounded him, gripping his arm gently and he looked up at Nyx whose face was set hard, mouth a straight, grim line.

“You got any ideas?”

Prompto blinked, he had to clear his head, he had to get rid of the stuff sensation the clouded his mind, blocking out any seemingly coherent thought process he was trying to start. Okay, focus, focus! He leaned his head back against the rock and considered their position and options.

“From the looks of it, I’d say the commanding officer’s mech is the most powerful, the other two are just like…they’re like back-up singers. He’s the main star. We have to be careful of him.”

“Okay, good. Anything else?”

“The MTs are an issue, we need to clear them out before we can properly deal with the mechs otherwise they’re gonna be a lethal distraction.”

“What about the airships?” Nyx asked and Prompto relaxed a little.

“They can’t get us from here because they can’t shoot into the cover from any angle, their guns and build won’t let them. But…” He trailed off.

“But that means once we’re out in the open-”

“We’re in danger.” Prompto finished and Nyx groaned, leaning against the clay rocks that shielded them. Prompto frowned, he could hear mechanisms moving, sounded like something was opening up and oH SHI-

A missile exploded the rocks on their other side, a crater indented into the land left behind as the dust cleared, leaving Prompto coughing as Nyx moved from shielding from any flying debris, clay smearing their clothes in dusty patterns.

“You two okay?!” Clarus called out, voice off-balance like Prompto’s head as the blond tried to focus once more, the world and his hands spinning around him.

“We’re good!” Nyx answered as Prompto pretty much coughed up his lungs, chest heaving as he felt something lodge itself in his throat, tickling the back of his mouth uncomfortably. Nyx patted him on the back and looked up over their shelter, not seeing as Prompto finally managed to cough whatever it was up, freezing as black slime trickled out of his mouth.

_What?_

He...he hadn’t been seriously injured. Why was...why was the Scourge acting up? He watched as his hand began to tremble, his eyes stinging as scared tears began to bubble and boil over his eyelids. Oh Gods, was it...was the Scourge…?

_YOU HAVE USED US ONCE_

 He started as the voices echoed, coming together into some strange melody that sickened him, stomach lurching as it loosened his control.

_USE US AGAIN_

No! He squeezed his eyes shut, gunfire littering his head as he gripped his gun tightly. No no no! He wasn’t going to! It hurt, it hurt so much and it scared him, all the faces and the voices, it was terrifying and he hated it so much. _Help me Luna_ , Prompto whispered in his mind as black goo surrounded him, hands reaching out and ripping at his skin, _please help me._

Black hands swarmed, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him closer to the Scourge’s open maw, lined with teeth and rasping, eyes blinking angrily at him.

_USE US_

_SAVE US_

_PROTECT_

_DISTRACT_

_DESTROY_

Wh-What? Prompto blinked into the Scourge’s face, his struggling ceasing as the vicious force stared at him, hands gripping him, claws drawing blood. Protect? Distract?? Wha-

_The MTs are an issue, we need to clear them out before we can properly deal with the mechs otherwise they’re gonna be a lethal distraction._

Prompto blinked, blue eyes staring at the gun in his hands as the sounds of gunfire fell away from his ears, a rush of silence before whispers rose up in his ears, swallowing him in darkness and he felt the rush of Scourge up his throat, seeping out in bubbling hisses as his spine creaked and groaned.

_GLEIPNIR_

_DESTROY_

_DISTRACT_

Prompto rocked forward unsteadily, eyes crying black tears that drowned out his blue irises, swathing them in blood red, air rattling through his lungs.

_PROTECT_

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Luna straightened her posture and slammed the hilt of the Trident onto the uneven ground, gold light bursting out, nebulae dancing in the air around her and Cor stepped back, hand ready on his katana and eyes turned to the sky.

“Oh mighty Archaean, as strong and steadfast as the boulder on your back, heed my call and awaken this day.”

She slammed the Trident on the ground again, the golden streaks of light crackling as the Archaean opened His eyes, rocks crumbling from where they had formed as crust over His eyelids as He turned to gaze upon her. Images flashed through her mind of the Trident, the same and unchanged yet in different hands, passing down through time and she nodded.

“I, the Oracle, beseech you to enter a covenant with the Chosen King of Lucis.”

A rumble, a laugh? Luna fought back the need to frown. She needed to know her place, she was but one person and Titan was a whole galaxy of power leagues over her own. Yeah, okay, she knew her place now...still wasn’t happy about it.

More pictures and scenes flashed through her mind at Titan’s call, and empty throne, a crown, the night sky full of radiant stars. She met His gaze solemnly.

“The Chosen King travels without me.”

Bubbling, sizzling rage crept in under her skin and she hardened her gaze as Titan rumbled, the earth moving under their feet as He moved closer, teeth gnashing with fury. Don’t speak, wait for His rage to dissipate, wait and stand and be patient, as still and as unyielding as the meteor on top of His back. Wait.

Eventually He calmed and she spoke clearly.

“He will come. He will undertake your trial and finalise the covenant, this I can promise you Archaean. Will you grant him this chance?”

An unsteady pause left Luna fighting every instinct that told her to turn around to Cor and hide behind him. She had to hold her ground, remember what Gentiana taught her, strong and steady. The Archaean conceded, unhappy and promising no mercy yet Luna barely hid her smile, golden light seeping back into her with jolting movements, moving like whips, snapping back under skin.

“Thank you.”

Titan returned to His rest, waiting for the King with aching, creaking movements of land and muscle as Luna turned to Cor, eyes gleaming with victory and he would’ve scoffed, would’ve commented on how easy it was even as he saw her shaking hands, but they were interrupted.

A sound, horrific and monstrous, tore through the sky, snapping the Archaean’s eyes open again as Luna and Cor shared terrified glances before bolting down the path, following their dusty tracks as they prayed the others were okay.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx had no idea how it happened. How it happened and how he _didn’t fucking notice_. But it happened. One moment Prompto had been curled up next to him, blood drying on his clothes from the small scrapes and cuts he’d gained in the battle, and the next he’d been flying out over the top of their cover, chains ripping through his top, tearing through his skin and smashing into MTs, ripping their metal chests open and piercing their synthetic skulls. 

“Fuck.” Nyx whispered, watching as Prompto moved in and around the enemy, chains keeping him light and nimble, darting around and slashing through as many units as he could, black Scourge spilling from his mouth, leaving an unholy trail in his wake. Every sound Prompto made, every scream and hiss, was magnified, echoing around the land in varying tones, one over the other as if he had more than one voice. 

He was rabid and feral and moving with a ferocity that Nyx never would have expected from Prompto, shredding MTs open, oil flying like blood through the air as the blond shrieked, glowing red eyes darting over each and every figure, Scourge creeping over his skin and seeping into his hair, painting him black, making him move like a wild animal set free. Nyx stumbled back, kukris shaking in his hands because, hell, he’d seen a lot in his time as a glaive but he hadn’t something as horrific as this. And it wasn’t that Prompto himself was horrific, what was truly terrifying was the fact the Empire had done this to him, Nyx knew that much at least.

They had torn Prompto apart like this, leaving him to messily sew himself back together with crooked smiles and bubbly laughter.

Rage gripped him and fuck he had never wanted to hurt someone this bad before. And he would’ve, he would’ve ran straight out onto that battlefield and ripped that brat of a commanding officer out of his mech, he would’ve if Clarus didn’t land a hand on his shoulder, grounding him through all his anger.

“Take out the mechs.” Clarus ordered and Nyx was about to snap at him because _what about Prompto?!_ when it hit him; distraction. Prompto had mentioned them needing a distraction hadn’t he? Was this it?

“Now Ulric!” Clarus barked and Nyx nodded shakily, eyes barely landing on him and Regis but seeing just enough to know that he wasn’t the only one shaken by the strangled, layered shrieks that tore at their ears. He warped forward, attacking one of the mechs legs, narrowly avoiding the commanding officer’s mech and furiously fighting to the dreadful soundtrack of Prompto’s agonising wails and Nyx wasn’t sure he wanted to look back and see what the blond was doing to himself.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis wanted to throw up. It was sickening. It was horrific. This was the same thing he had asked Prompto to use, to seek out and use to source information for them. He had subjected Prompto to this pain and torture. He hadn’t considered the misery that would grip Prompto later, that would control him with anguished shrieks and Regis had never felt worse.

“Regis!”

He hadn’t thought about Prompto and his position in this picture, hadn’t considered the blond enough, he’d only thought about getting closer to Altissia, closer to his son, _oh Gods-_

“Reggie!”

His shaking vision turned to Clarus as his friend blocked out all other sights, forcing Regis to look him in the eyes, holding his face still so he had no way to escape that burning gaze.

“Clarus, we-we have to help him-” His voice shook and he hated it, he needed to save Prompto, he needed to be strong and save that beautiful boy from himself.

“We will, Reggie I promise you we will, but we have to fight these guys first, Reggie please.” Clarus begged him as Regis’ eyes began to slip past him, the former King jumping at the sound of Prompto howling like a manic daemon at the sky.

“But-he’s-we need t-”

“No, no, Reggie we can help him but we can’t now, there’s too many enemies, Reggie we have to get rid of them first. Please Regis,” His friend’s voice dropped to barely a whisper, “I can’t do this without you.”

Regis met Clarus’ pleading gaze and took in a sharp breath, old weathered hands reaching up to Clarus’, shaking but firm in their gentle, reassuring grasp.

“O-okay, but...but afterwards we-”

“We will help him, I swear to you we will.” 

Regis nodded and called forth his armiger, pulling away from Clarus with anger seeping into his weary and ancient bones. He didn’t need to say anything, Clarus knew immediately, he did nothing but nod before moving as quickly as his knee would allow him to the second backup mech that the commanding officer from Empire had brought with him.

_I swear on my throne, I will save you Prompto Argentum._  
 

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Everything hurt so much, having these wires pull him and push him, teeth gnashing, grinding down hard as he ripped through MT after MT. He was glad the others had understood to some extent, had seen the mechs left unattended to. He was glad but everything still hurt. The Scourge hurt, the MTs hurt, his skin felt too sensitive, like every breeze made him wince and scream in agony as sunlight beat down on his face.

Everything hurt.

Like those bullets, the guns from the airship.

Those _really_ fucking hurt.

_DESTROY_

_ANNIHILATE_

_KILL_

Prompto turned to the airships, barely aware of how his hands and arms moved, effectively ripping an MT in half with the help of hardened Scourge acting like claws on his fingers.

These airships were _really_ starting to get on his nerves.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Clarus cut down the mech’s leg swiftly before pulling Regis and his armiger back behind a rock for cover as the machine blew up in a fiery explosion. A crackle of lightning was enough to tell them Nyx was still fighting his own mech, however, judging by the angry bursts of magic, his battle would be over soon.

_“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced you know, it would be a shame to bond so little before I kill you.”_

Clarus grimaced at the playful tone in the commanding officer’s voice, he wondered if all members of the Empire’s army were this weird.

“I do suppose it would only be proper.” Regis called back out, pushing words through heaving breaths, armiger flickering at his side as they heard the largest mech, the officer’s, approach with loud thundering steps.

_“Well spoken! I am Loqi Tummelt, Brigadier General of the Nifleheim Army.”_

Loqi Tummelt. Clarus played with the word over in his mind before finally shaking his head in defeat, he didn’t know anyone by the name of Tummelt.

“I am Regis Lucis Caelum, King of Lucis.” Regis replied, flexing his aching fingers, watching the armiger sharpen in image.

_“Well, you seem a decent man, I hate to kill you.”_

Regis barked out a short laugh, “You seem a decent fellow, I hate to die.” He nodded to Clarus and the pair ducked out from under their cover, raising their weapons as Loqi raised his mech’s arms, guns deploying and-

A screech of metal, groaning and rumbling throughout the clearing crashed into their ears, the three pausing in the beginning of their battle to turn and see Prompto, crouched low to the ground, snarling, chains shot up into the sky and-

_“Fucking hell, can he ACTUALLY pull down an airship?”_ Loqi’s tinny voice exclaimed, and, as if in answer to his question, Prompto grabbed the chain and pulled.

The airship jolted off its steady course, chain cutting into its body, crumpling under the pressure of the Scourge, sputtering, sparking and screaming as it was pulled out of control. Prompto rose up, hands sweating as he continued to pull before yanking and ripping the airship from the sky, swinging it around to crash and explode into the dangerous, rocky wall of the clearing. Clarus leaped forward, covering Regis quickly as debris flew and dust invaded their lungs.

A low, clean-cut whistle rang out from Loqi’s mech and Regis looked up, gasping as he took in the metal carcass of the airship, sides ripping and oil spilling out like blood onto the cracked ground, hissing and sputtering with sparks flying and flames licking the breeze, Prompto swaying lazily, chains flicking around him like a cat’s tail when irritated and Regis was worried. He was so worried.

“Clarus…” He whispered and his friend nodded unsteadily.

“I know.”

“Fuck.” The pair whipped around to see Nyx as he kneeled beside them, “What the fuck happened?”

“I…” Regis trailed off, unable to answer anything because how would he even begin? Begin to say? Begin to understand? Where would he start?

Prompto pulled his arms close to his body, fists clenched and screamed. Wailed at the airships still hanging in the sky and two seemed to understand that it was time to get the fuck out but two stayed behind, guns reloading and aiming at his small figure and _no, no don’t shoot him please this isn’t him._

_“You guys gonna sit there or are you gonna help me get him under control?”_

Clarus turned, eyes wide with surprise as Prompto staggered. Loqi chuckled harshly at the look on the Shield’s face.

_“What? You want your friend back, I want to be able to get a lift home, I’d say it’s fair.”_

“We don’t trust you.” Nyx yelled.

_“Yeah well, neither do I. But honestly, I think your more pressing concerns are him.”_

Loqi’s mech charged at Prompto without hesitating for a reply and Nyx cursed, warping after him. Regis grasped Clarus’ arm gently, searching for something, some sliver of comfort.

“He can’t hurt Prompto.”

“I know, I know Regis, we won’t let him.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Someone was...humming? Fingers in his hair, dim walls, bright lights, echoing footsteps in metal hallways and someone was humming this isolated, out-of-place tune. They were humming softly. It was…

It was…

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Luna rounded the corner, stumbling, tripping over and scraping her hands raw on the gravel, her Trident skidding out ahead of her and she gasped as she saw chains, so many chains filling up every available inch of space in the clearing and Regis, Clarus and Nyx were all struggling to reach the centre. To reach Prompto. 

A flash of blond hair, dripping black Scourge and red red red red red; she had to help. She had to do something.

_“Nice of you to join the party.”_

She looked, bewildered to the smashed up mech that lay crumpled to her left, roof collapsed in on itself and she didn’t recognise that voice. But apparently whoever it was, recognised her...and Cor.

_“Well well, Cor the Immortal...and the Oracle! Survived the Citadel I see-”_

“What’s going on?!” Luna cried over a rabid snarl, chains lashing out and throwing Nyx backwards across the ground, kukris flying away from him.

_“Your friend went berserk. Y’know, the rogue MT.”_ Luna swallowed nervously, lifting herself off the ground, picking up her Trident.

“I can help him.”

“No.” Cor argued, hand gripping her wrist tightly and she turned on him.

“No? _NO?!_ Prompto needs us! _He’s in pain!_ Can’t you hear him?!” Cor flinched, another scream shredding the air but his grip didn’t cease.

“I won’t let you go out there.” He told her, voice stone-cold and hard and she wanted to scream at him like Prompto was, it must feel good, just letting all that rage out like that, but she couldn’t, she had to keep her composure and focus and conjure a spell and chant and heal and help and-

_Trust me._

Luna froze. The air dropped, plummeting from absurd heat to a sudden chill and Luna felt dizzy, feeling her blood rush at the change. Winds whipped around them and the chains thrashed, one almost hitting her and Cor. She resisted the marshall pulling her off to the side for shelter, fighting to see that person she thought she heard, trying to see if she was here.

Long dark garments flapped about in the wind and Luna calmed down, if only slightly.

“Please!” She cried out, “Please don’t hurt him!”

A small smile with closed eyes.

_I won’t._  

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The humming was growing closer which didn’t make sense because he hadn’t moved, she was still there, running fingers through his dirty hair so why was it getting closer? He shuffled, looking up to look into the woman’s eyes and screamed, finding them melting into black pools, swirling with hunger and hatred and fangs extended from her mouth, reaching out like hands to his face and it was going to devour him whole he was going to die he was going to die he was going to die going to die to die die die die die die-

A cool hand pressed itself to the side of his face, a sharp cracking sound burst through his head and the darkness blew away in a sudden breeze, a sudden cold explosion, pushing it far away from him with howling screams of dismay. He reached up, touching that cool hand and jolting as haunting green eyes looked into his red ones, red eyes fading and dancing as violet with subtle blue as she smiled at him, dark hair floating around her head like they were under water and maybe they were under water, it wouldn’t be the first time and he had a long day, he couldn’t tell what was the right way up or upside down anymore but she was grounding him with the weight of her gentle hand.

She smiled reassuringly and pulled him close, tucking his head under her chin and stroking his back as he remained still in shock, frozen in time as she hummed, hummed a tune familiar but not the same.

_I failed to save you once,_

He squeezed his eyes shut and wrapped his arms around this woman, this kind, this caring, this wonderful woman.

_But I will not fail you again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I don't know if I'll be able to get another chapter out for a bit, so fair warning! I may be going on a semi-hiatus for a bit. I do have every intention to keep going with the story but school will be starting up again and that has been so incredibly stressful for me so I need to focus on that before anything else. If you guys do have any questions about like, when I think I'll be able to get the next chapter out, or anything else (idk) you can talk to me at my tumblr: 
> 
> iskraeon.tumblr.com
> 
> I hope you guys liked this new chapter! I know I enjoyed writing it! Next chapter will be a lot of background because I kinda hit you with new info here at the end so that will be dedicated to explaining it as best I can! I have come up with a lot of ideas for this fic and I can't wait to see where it goes! Hope you feel the same way!! Love you all, and I hope to see you as soon as I possibly can!!
> 
> Bye!


	25. Gentiana's Lament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am actually pretty proud of this chap!! I'm also glad I was able to get it out pretty quickly! I might see if I can do some more chaps when I have some spare time around my school work! <3

She had made her home from stardust in lands of ice and snow, mountains that peaked the sky with a kiss as she tried desperately to reach out to her mother. But her mother was asleep, and after so many years on the mortal plain of existence, she was had begun to understand that Eos would never awaken. Her mother had told her and her siblings to watch over her land around which her body would reside, breathing in the gentle breeze and crying in the crashing waves of the ocean. She wants to please her mother, the one that gave her existence and purpose, so she follows her wishes. She promises to protect this land until her dying breath and the last thing she sees on her mother’s face before slumber takes Eos prisoner is a soft smile.

So she makes her home and travels amongst the people that inhabit the land, she guides them and shows them safe passages through her snowy mountains. They sing praise of her and give her a name that she holds dear. Shiva. They give her siblings names as well, titles in their language and she embraces it. She holds them so close to her heart as the people love her. They love her and she loves them. She wants to protect them and she thinks, or at least likes to think, that maybe her mother felt the same way about her and her kin. 

She really hopes that.

Believers lined up and prayed her name. She answered as many as she could but soon came to learn it was impossible to answer them all, it was impossible to keep pace with the changing race. She waited until faith wavered and then she hid, she took a moment of reprieve that lasted a few short years and then she fell apart. Fire produced a blistering heat that melted her home. Solheim fell in only an hour and her brother Ifrit stood on top of the ruin, screaming and stamping the ground, calling for their mother. She wants to help him but her siblings say he is beyond help, that he will end everything their mother worked for. So she agrees when a Lucian King appears before her, she offers her help in the form of a covenant forged with the aid of Bahamut's chosen 'Oracle', and battles against her brother. Fire and ice, both burning mournfully because how could they do this? How could they both fight like this? She mulls these questions over in her mind as she presents her usual smile to the public in the aftermath of victory, that same familiar grace frozen on blue lips.

She disappears.

She wants to disappear because this doesn’t make sense. They were a family. Now they were falling apart. She clings to humanity because they start to call on her again. Ever since she fought her brother they have begun to revere her once more and she is thankful for the love that her family fails to give her. She does not throw herself into her work however, she does simple things; she redirects blizzards and helps crops survive the winter. The humans praise the name they gave her and she feels needed once more. She failed Ifrit, she will not fail them. She refuses to.

She fails them.

Eos, the world, was originally divided into three kingdoms with minor kingdoms scattered along the borders. These three kingdoms, Solheim, Nifleheim and Lucis, were ruled by three close brothers who each passed their kingdoms onto their children as time passed around them like water in a stream. Solheim was crushed and abandoned, her brothers flames burning every flicker of life, swallowing them whole into his gaping maw and when he was… _‘dismissed’_ , the other kingdom’s split the wasteland that was left. Shiva watched as it started as a simple, friendly process that escalated into a second war. She doesn’t know how this began, one moment there was peace and the next, when her back was turned as she guided icy blasts away from fields, there was blood and burning once more.

She remembers flitting over the land as particles, hands reaching out, trying to pull the warriors apart but her brother, Ramuh, stopped her and whisked her away.

“It is not our place to interfere unless we are summoned.” He had told her, voice crackling with the undertones of worried lightning, clouds rolling in dark waves as he vanished into the night sky.

She wants it to be her place. 

She is sick of seeing the humans tear themselves apart over wars, each one dying with a final breath, imploring the gods to end it. To end their suffering. The pain they cause themselves. She looks away from the war and hides in her home, guiding the winters carefully as life moves on. Her sister, Leviathan, falls asleep at some point and her brother, Titan, catches a meteor. She feels...left out. The humans are constantly reminded of their presence but praise only those of the Astrals that do ‘great’ things. She has not heard her name uttered in reverence in a long time; only in vulgar curses as comments on the cold. She knows she should not be bothered, it is just the nature of the humans to do these things...but she wants them to remember her, to whisper her name with love again, to hold her within their hearts as she does them.

She hears them. She hears it slowly. Voices start calling for her in desperation, voices weary with pain and she jerks up off her bed, racing to the window. She looks out over the land and looks into Nifleheim. The latest war of many had recently ended, the Empire was expanding into Lucian territory but there was no direct fighting as of yet. So why was such anguish being screamed in her name?

Bodies. Blood. Needles and thread. She watched, frozen in horror, as people were torn apart. Studied and ‘perfected’. Black ooze bubbled on bunsen burners and she snarled as she realised what it was. Her brother’s _‘gift’_ to the world, his last attempt to gain their mother’s attention; the Scourge. What was it doing there? What were they doing with it? She watched, gasping in shock as they injected the vile liquid into their own people, sometimes their own children. She watched them shake and puke and die and shift into horrible monstrosities. She hid her face and refused to look up for days, time passing as it had always done before, each and every scream piercing her ears. None of her siblings were looking this way. None were doing anything about this. How could the mighty Bahamut allow this to pass? She couldn’t. _She wouldn’t._

She prepared herself, stalking over snowy plains, taking the winter with her as her rage built up into blizzards that tormented the land. She moved on Nifleheim. 

She crushed those twisted, augmented minds under her feet and batted away their offensive projectiles. With a wave of her hand, ice surged up like the ocean and froze lines of soldiers. She moved on Nifleheim. 

She threw their inventions, their monstrous machines into the air, letting them get swept up in her arctic cyclone. She screamed and froze as many as she could because how dare they do this to the few people that call upon her? How dare they do this to their own race? How dare they do this to her mother’s planet? _How dare they?!_

She gets overwhelmed. The experiments are larger than her now and they tackle her. She falls and splits the ground. She hurts. She screams her pain into the air; snow falls in thick blankets, burying them all as the robots stab her with metal shards. They gouge her sides, rip her open and she feels her icy blood spill out onto the ground. The snowstorm turns red and her vision flickers. She wonders if humanity will miss her once she’s gone.

She died that day. 

She was ripped into pieces and when she awakens she knows she is not the same. 

She is ashamed. 

She cannot help anyone. She cannot even help herself. She cannot stop the tears from falling over her cheeks, freezing in steady streams. She wanders, lost and torn apart. Herself is around her in several figures and forms and she sees confusion and fear in every single one. She cannot face her family like this.

She goes home. She curls up under her layers and hides herselves. She doesn’t know how to make them go away and at the moment, she doesn’t want them to. They are a small comfort at the same time that they are a small source of fear. She tries to block out the screams as they grow worse. As the pain grows in swelling waves that engulf her as she tries to sleep. She wishes she could be like Leviathan and sleep for a hundred years. She wants this pain to stop. She wishes she could freeze it still.

She picks herself up because no. She needs to protect her mother’s creations. It was what she was made to do. She carries her whole self down dusty roads and shakes in horror as she realises what she has done to Nifleheim. How cold and empty that kingdom had become in her time away. How it’s frozen nature has spurred on its hunger for more land. A hunger she felt tainted upon acknowledging. She can hear the Scourge sizzle under fragile skins. She can hear so many voices calling out to her, pleading with her to not be dead. To live. To wage war once more. 

She cannot. 

She stumbles up palace steps and into the Nox Fleuret household. She has a new face and Queen Sylva grants her a new name. Gentiana. She is Gentiana, the flower. Soft and subtle instead of harsh and cold. She still sits and watches the land, guiding winters with a swift hand gesture. A small movement no one questions or suspects to be godly work. She closes her eyes and refuses to open them. She doesn’t want to see the pain anymore.

She hears voices still. She listens to them all. One voice calls out to her, selflessly, pleading with her to save their son. To save a mother’s small, blond bundle of joy. She visits once as snowflakes. Looking in and almost vomiting at the tubes and needles and pulsing skin, spine vibrating with red and black energy, Scourge controlling small limbs. She snaps back like a rubber band into her room. She takes deep breaths until she is once more an immaculate doll, a small smile pursed on her face.

She wants to save that boy. 

She wants to save that mother. 

She is teaching the small and curious Lady Lunafreya when she hears that mother die. She can feel the boy die with her. His heart has stopped no matter how much it beats. He has lost so much. All of those children, all the boys and warriors and women, all the victims have lost so much. She feels like she can relate. Like she can understand that pain as she teaches Lunafreya how to sing, the melodic voice coaxing her thoughts into a comprehensible line she can follow. She follows that line to Gralea.

She sneaks into a building of medical scents and hollows screams. She dodges people nimbly, warping around as particles, eyes seeing all and her other selves aid her surveillance. She breaks into a small room and sees him. He’s bare skin and brittle bone and unholy Scourge and she thinks she loves this boy because he’s still here. He’s still alive. She scoops him up into her arms and he shivers.

“Apologies,” She whispers, “I am not the warmest being you will know.” 

He settles into her embrace nonetheless and she runs out of Nifleheim, her grip tight around his weak form. She knows she has to get him somewhere safe and warm. She sweeps him up into her particles, careful to leave none behind, and appears in Lucis. She stumbles, steadying herself against a grimy wall. She feels snow drift around her and she shakes it off, opening her eyes to look down at the small boy against her. He is still sleeping. Good. 

She carries him through streets, ducking out of the vision of cars and people, until they reach an orphanage. She hides him while she inspects it. The children appear to be well-looked after and the nurses seem kind. She smiles as she sees one reading over her passage in the Cosmogony. At least he will learn her given name here. She removes him from his hiding spot and carefully places him against the orphanage door. Still sleeping? She pokes his face experimentally and smiles as a soft, weak snore makes itself known to her ears.

“What a precious sound.” 

She shrugs off her shawl, she knows she shouldn’t. People may ask questions due to its luxurious make and style; but if worst comes to worst, the orphanage can sell it to support their funds. She wraps it around him and presses a kiss to his forehead.

May you have good dreams.” 

She knocks on the door, hiding in shadows, watching as the boy is collected by the nurses. He’s pulled inside and she whisks herself away on a winter breeze. She does not expect to see him ever again.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ 

She smiles as she holds his face, the chains from his spine whipping around the pair of them furiously and his eyes burn through her but she doesn’t hold it against him. This isn’t him. This would never be him.

“Did you have good dreams?” 

He looks startled, thrown off by that comment and something human returns to his eyes. It’s her chance. She sends an icy shock through her hands to his face and he snaps backwards, collapsing to the ground silently. His eyes are closed but hers are open and she takes in his healthy form, save for the Scourge. He has grown older. He has freckles. He is sun-kissed and she sees shallow laughter lines forming. She still loves this boy. She is glad that he managed to live on, even his mother could not. She is glad he was raised well.

She stands up and it is then that a weapon is raised to her throat. Her eyes a shut now but she manages to throw a cheeky, challenging glance at the offensive figure that has appeared next to her in a spark of blue light.

“Who _the fuck_ are you and what did you do to Prompto?!” He snarls. She refuses to speak but that is okay because her Lady Lunafreya raises her voice.

“ _Stop!_ Stop, Nyx stop! That’s Gentiana! She means no harm, she’s my guide.” Luna explained, out of breath and eyes dragged down to ‘Prompto’s’ still form, fear gripping her tightly. Gentiana casts her a reassuring smile.

“He is fine.” 

Those three words allow her Lady to breathe and ‘Nyx’ moves back, weapons still present by his side and he keeps a careful eye on her as he kneels down by ‘Prompto’s’ side. 

Prompto. 

Gentiana considers it for a moment. 

It’s a good name. 

A dull, metallic thud rings out through the clearing and Gentiana watches as a boy with dirty blond hair bursts out of his mechanical monstrosity. It takes everything she has not to rip that thing to pieces like its kind had done to her all those years before.

Well that was something.” The boy remarks and Gentiana watches as dirty looks are thrown at him from everyone in the clearing.

“Kill him?” The former King’s Shield asks and she watches as the old monarch nods sternly. A sword is drawn and the boy laughs with a hint of panic. 

“ _Seriously?_ I helped you out back there and this is the thanks I get?!” His voice gets higher with each step closer the Shield takes towards him. 

“Leave him!” Luna cries and everyone falls still, Gentiana muses in her mind that perhaps her Lady is the Glacian instead of herself. 

“But he’s-” 

“It doesn’t matter now. We have to get out of here and help Prompto.” Luna snapped as she cut Nyx off. Gentiana nods supportively and Luna throws her an appreciative smile but the guide can sense something biting beneath those eyes. She thinks that perhaps she is in the bad books.

“Gee, thanks.” The dirty blond drawls, “Just leave me here why don’t you.” 

“Your airships should return shortly.” The old King responds coldly. 

“Whatever.” The boy scoffs in response as he pulls himself from his wreckage. He dusts himself off and Gentiana zones out of Nyx and Luna’s soft mumbling over Prompto’s figure as she notices the boy look over to the Oracle. He sighs and starts digging through his pockets.

“Hey, Oracle.” Her Lady looks up, impatient scowl wiped quickly from her face as the boy throws something at her. Nyx catches it, angry glare thrown like a weapon before he inspects the object. Gentiana hears Lady Lunafreya gasp in shock, she knows the grief in that gasp so she speaks for her.

“Queen Sylva’s necklace.” She murmured, “How did you come by this?” 

“High commander Fleuret told me to pass it on. Guess it’s brotherly love or some shit, I don’t know, I don’t ask.” The boy responded quickly, flopping onto the ground, dust billowing up around him and he coughs lightly.

“My brother…? You know my brother?!” Luna asks and the boy waves his hand flippantly. 

“ _Eh_ , I wouldn’t use the word _‘know’_ , I mean I know his name and his face, but him as a person? I ain’t got no clue.” 

“Please, is...is he alright?” 

Gentiana watched as a devilish smirk stretched on the boy’s face, “Oh yeah, he’s _all right_ now.” 

“What the fuck man.” Was Nyx’s only comment as Luna sat up straighter, ruffled and annoyed. 

“Is he fine?” She asks this time, voice stressed with frustration and the boy barks out a laugh. 

“Hell yeah he’s fine, a fine piece of as-” 

“Okay, that’s enough.” A man unknown to Gentiana spoke up, voice gruff and the boy laughs again, falling onto his back in a plume of dust. 

“We should get going.” The Shield suggests and everyone agrees with him. Gentiana watches them move across the clearing and she feels her Lady nudge her slightly. She turns towards her.

“Are you joining us?” The frail voice is unbecoming of one so strong, she must be shaken by the covenant and the events of the day. She needs to rest. 

“Of course.” Gentiana responds and her Lady lights up, comforted by the familiar presence as her hand grips the necklace more tightly. She turns back around to the dirty blond as he lies down on the ground, watching the blue sky roll past.

“Thank you!” She calls out. 

Gentiana can see the boy stiffen, he sits up, shock clear on his face and he scratches at his nose. 

“Uh, n-no problem?” 

Her Lady doesn't respond, instead she turns and he is left to watch them leave the clearing. Gentiana prays he can see the light as he waits for a lift back to the Empire. She prays his heart will change. But above all, she prays that Prompto will be okay. She looks to the blond as Nyx carries him on his back.

Prompto really is a pretty name. 


	26. In All Honesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SO!!! I probably should be doing homework right now...BUT DUTY CALLED ME FROM THE GRAVE UGH I'LL DO IT NOW

Nyx looks at Gentiana from the corner of his eye cautiously before flicking his eyes up to the rear-view mirror. Prompto is still out cold, head on Luna’s lap. It was worrying how impossibly still the energetic blond was now, he didn’t look like he was in pain thought which Nyx figured was good but still…

“What did you do to him?” He asks, making sure it doesn’t seem like he’s making a rude accusation unlike before. He can tell Luna has looked up at his question but he keeps his eyes fixed on the road now, hands holding the wheel with a deadly grip. Gentiana purses her lips but doesn’t move her head to look at him. She’s careful and quiet, her voice a heavily accented whisper.

“I helped him.”

“Okay, yeah, how?” Nyx asks, he feels slight frustration building up under his skin, in his chest, and he fights it back down. He needs to get answers, not explode. The Ring tightens on his finger and he bites down on his tongue. He swallows down the nauseating wave of magic that pulses alongside his sizzling anger and he swerves slightly on the road. If Luna notices she doesn’t say anything.

“I suppressed the Scourge within him.” He starts a little at that. He doesn’t know what he was expecting but Gentiana’s answer was clearly not it.

“You can do that?” He exclaims and she nods briefly, her eyes closed but it looks as if she’s watching the road disappear underneath their car as they continue driving. 

“I can.”

“So you can get rid of it? The Scourge?” His voice is rising with hope because maybe Prompto won’t have to succumb to the pain of that unearthly horror anymore, maybe he’ll be fine-

“No.”

_Figures._

“What? Why not?” Nyx doesn’t bother fighting back the slight edge that intrudes on his voice. Luna whispers his name quietly from the backseat, trying to hold back his rage for him but it doesn’t work. The Ring burns his finger now.

“I cannot remove the Scourge, only suppress it. However, that I cannot do continuously. It is not healthy for him.” He glances over at her now and it’s unnerving how he finds she is looking at him with shut eyes.

“Not healthy?”

“There was a period of time where the women were considered attractive if they bound their feet, causing them to walk in seemingly ‘beautiful’ manner. This foot binding was catastrophic to their feet however, deforming them.”

Nyx frowned, confused and silent as he let her random explanation sink in.

“So...the more you forcibly suppress the Scourge, by doing whatever you did back there, it’ll deform him?”

“Something akin to that, yes.”

Okay, that did not make Nyx feel any better about this...whatever this was. 

“But without you suppressing it the Scourge is just gonna hurt Prompto more, aren’t you able to do _something?!_ ” He growled.

“I can teach him how to control it.” Nyx’s eyes widened in shock, hands swiftly gripping the steering wheel so the car didn’t swerve off the road sharply.

“You can?”

“Yes.”

Nyx glanced at her a couple more times, hoping she would elaborate but Gentiana had turned away from him, looking outside her passenger window to the scenery rushing by. He flicked his gaze to the rear-view mirror and saw Luna shrug hopelessly, hand loosely carding through Prompto’s hair as the blond continued to sleep in her lap.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct flopped onto the bed with a groan, ignoring how Umbra nudged the hand that hung over the end of the bed. He groaned again, long and suffering before resting his head on its chin, his eyes lazily gazing around the room. Iggy and Gladio were out shopping, leaving Noct all to his lonesome. He huffed, letting his face fall back into the bed before leaping up with newfound energy. He rushed over to his bags and rifled through them, Umbra trotting over to his side. Just as the dog sat down Noct leapt up and back onto the bed, leaving Umbra to follow him faithfully.

Umbra watched as Noct opened the journal. He searched around almost frantically for a pen before freezing, a crooked, toothy smile stretching over his face as he noticed Umbra holding a pen in his mouth, tail wagging happily.

“Thanks boy.”

Taking the pen in his calloused hand, Noct uncapped it. He flipped past the words and passages he had burnt into his memory, smiling as his fingers brushed over the familiar calligraphy, carefully collecting the images that fell out into a small pile by his elbow. He had to make sure to leave some space for Gladio and Iggy, they would want to write too.

He sets his pen to the page and nervously begins.

_Dad, I’m just really glad you’re okay. Stay out of trouble, and if your knee starts acting up make sure you take a break. Don’t push yourself._

_I…_

He pauses, pen hovering shakily and he decides that there should be no bullshit here, not after everything that happened, not after almost losing his dad. He writes honestly.

_I’m scared. I don’t want to do this Prophecy, it’s terrifying. I’m glad you’ll be by my side but honestly I just don’t want to have to think about any of this in the first place. Can we just…_

_Can we just meet in Altissia first? I’ll collect the Armiger and show it to you when we meet again, I might even be a better King than you when we meet up._

Noct smirks a little but it feels forced. It feels completely forced and he thinks that maybe that that’s okay because this is the most honest he can be. He can’t think of anything else to say.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis sighs wearily as he finally manages to sit down. They’d driven all the way back to the haven in stone-cold silence and when he’d stepped out of the car and looked to the others he could see that their own car trip had not been comfortable either.

Prompto was unfortunately, still unconscious. Regis was already beginning to miss his bubbly quips and sudden flash photography. He watches as Luna disappears into a tent with the blond boy, hovering around his still form, worried crease seemingly becoming permanent in her brow.

He should’ve stopped him.

Somehow.

Regis clasps his hands together shakily, desperately trying to force them still. He should’ve protected Prompto, that beautiful broken boy. His son’s best friend. He should’ve done so much more for him instead of shaking in fear as concern gripped his aching bones. He unclasped his hands and gripped his knee as it began to throb.

_Why couldn’t he protect them?_

A steady hand grips his shoulder and he looks up to see Cor’s surprisingly reassuring eyes.

“He’ll be okay.”

Regis just nods and stares into the fire that Clarus ignites in front of him. 

He hopes so.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

_Gods Prompto, control your fanboy. Make sure you don’t do anything stupid, THE IMMORTAL may strike you down forever!_

_No but, seriously, I’m glad to see you’re okay. I was really worried...I felt you summon your guns and I thought maybe you’d...yeah._

_Smooth Caelum_ , Noct mentally chides himself before continuing to write to the steady sound of Umbra’s breathing.

_The pictures you sent were great, good to see you haven’t lost your touch. Just, maybe cut back on how many you send? It’s difficult to carry all of them around in my jacket y’know._

_Have fun in Altissia, make sure you get Luna to show you around. She’s visited once before when she was little so she should know some good spots for photos._

_Stay safe Prom._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

It was...cold. He shivered, wrapping himself up in a ball and closing his eyes. It was cold but it was quiet and this was new. It was good. No Scourge, no menacing eyes and gaping maw, just him.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he buried his face behind his knees.

How long had it been since he was just... _him?_

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

_Thanks for looking after my dad, Clarus. Thank you too Cor for taking care of them (thanks for the vote of confidence too)._

_Nyx? Um, hi I guess. Thanks for looking after Luna and Prom. It really means a lot._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx leaned back against a tree, just on the outskirts of the haven and watched as Clarus began to prepare dinner, a question being directed at Gentiana who shook her head politely, eyes closed.

His drifted over Prompto’s tent. The fire cast shadows through it and he could see Luna kneeling next to Prompto’s sleeping form, hands clasped up holding the blond’s own. He frowned and looked away. 

Prompto was going to be alright.

If Gentiana had actually suppressed the Scourge than he should be okay...but...suppressing the Scourge wasn’t good. She’d definitely made it seem that way when she compared it to foot-binding or whatever. 

_Would Prompto wake up?_

Nyx pushed himself off the tree sharply, shaking the thought out of his head and forcing it far away as he walked over to the fire. No. No he would be fine. He twisted the Ring uneasily on his finger, a chill settling in under his skin.

He would be fine.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi sat in the back of the airship, quiet for the first time in his life (possibly...don’t quote him on that he’s not sure). He fiddles with his thumbs, worried frown on his face as all possible avenues of thought merge into one lane.

_What would happen to him now?_

He’d lost his mech, he’d failed the mission, he’d lost two fucking airships for Gods sake; how was he supposed to show his face to the Emperor? What would the Emperor do to him?

_Decommission._

He shudders. He tries to sit up straight and forget that word but the bullet is burnt deep into his skull as it shoots through a failed MTs head and he stands and watches behind bullet-proof glass and he throws up because that was his sister and oh Gods what would they do to h _im what were they going to do to him?!_

Loqi comes to in a tense sitting position, his leg muscles strained as he sits up on his heels biting the nail of his thumb. He shakes himself out of it and sits down like a _normal_ person instead of something that’s _broken_ because he’s _not_. He’s not broken and he’s not useless and he will not be decommissioned.

“Sir?” One of the few surviving pilots calls out carefully.

_“What.”_ He bites back.

“Uh, we have a call coming through for you.”

Loqi stands and makes his way to the screen, calling for the pilot to patch it through. The screen fuzzes and blinks and Loqi really doesn’t want to get chewed out by Calligo again but Ravus flickers onto the screen and he smiles. Pushing away any worry so that Ravus won’t get closer, won’t know more, won’t see the thing he is.

“Ravey-baby!! How are you~?” He purrs, smile turning predatory as he sees the high commander roll his eyes.

_“Did you do it?”_ Comes the static response and his smile falls. He leans back into the chair provided for him (uncomfortable) and waves his hand lazily, of course that would be the only thing Ravus cares about, why would he care about anything else?

“Yes Fleuret, I delivered your parcel.”

_“Good.”_ Came the short, sharp response and then the line was cut dead. Loqi stared into the static on the screen before letting his face fall into his hands. No ‘how was the mission?’, or even a ‘did you kill the King?’ Thanks Ravus. Love you too Ravus.

He sighed miserably and flopped back in his chair, jutting his bottom lip in an exaggerated pout as he felt the airship carry him back to the Empire.

He was so screwed.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Luna woke up in the middle of the night and rolled over, looking at Prompto’s sleeping form and feeling her face contort into pained misery. She was thankful that Gentiana could help but...she wished she, herself, could have done something to protect Prompto. He didn’t deserve this pain. He was a sweet boy and she was overwhelmed by how attached she had become to him in such a short time. She smiled sadly and snuggled closer to him, wrapping an arm around his and lacing their fingers together, praying that he will wake up in the morning.

She doesn’t blame Noctis for falling in love with him.


	27. And When The Sun Came Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I Was Looking At You

Luna watched Prompto as he slept, legs crossed and back bowed as a frown drowned her face in concern. He didn’t seem to be in pain and yet, throughout the night he had shivered. Constantly. She reached out and pressed a hand to his forehead; he didn’t have a temperature so it must have been whatever Gentiana had done to help him. Luna sat back and sighed. Worrying like this would get her nowhere, she had to plan ahead. 

The Fulgurian. Ramuh. She pulled herself upwards and curled her hands into fists. She had managed to meet with Titan and that had gone smoothly. Why wouldn’t her meeting with Ramuh?

“Luna?” Clarus peeked through the flap of the tent, “Breakfast is ready.”

“Thank you Clarus.” She murmured quietly in response. She expected him to disappear but he continued to stand there. She looked up to meet his eyes and saw a rather excited, expectant smile on his face.

“Is something wrong?” She asked tentatively and his smile softened.

“There’s someone Gentiana thinks you’d like to meet.”

He disappeared, the door to the tent slipping shut gently and Luna frowned, glancing down to Prompto’s sleeping figure and sighing. She shuffled around him and made her way out of the tent; perhaps Gentiana had located someone of wisdom that could help her in her journey to aid Noctis.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi hopped down and out of the airship reluctantly, storming past every figure in his eye-line, be they made of flesh or metal. He didn’t look up from the ground once until he reached his quarters, slamming the door behind him. 

The flight back had been terrible.

The horrifying wails of _decommission_ ringing in his ears and the building anxiety the closer and closer he got back to base; the gods-awful realisation that he’d have to report his failure to the Emperor. He stiffened at that, tension gripping his muscles with a sudden burst of angry energy that he let out in a strangled scream, kicking over his chair and taking great satisfaction in seeing it topple over.

He turned on his desk, picking up every breakable on it and smashing it on the ground fiercely. Stress and anger poured out through every sharp movement of his arms and the tension turned into exhaustion. He leaned onto his desk, panting heavily and taking in his manic destruction. 

Not bad.

Loqi smirked and pushed himself up onto his desk, letting his feet dangle lazily, allowing the hollow space of peace in his head to consume him...until a rapid series of knocks sounded on his door.

“The _fuck_ do you want?!” He snapped as it opened, head jolting up sharply with a glare ready. But it fell quickly as heterochromic eyes gazed around at the mess that was his quarters. Ah _shit._

“What the hell happened to your room?” Ravus asked as Aranea pushed past him.

“I threw a bitch-fit, what else is new?” Loqi groaned, can they please just leave him alone right now, this really wasn’t a good time.

“Why?” Ravus asked but Aranea cut over him.

“Mission went that badly, huh?”

“Like you wouldn’t _believe._ ” Loqi sighed, flopping back on his now clear desk, failing to see Ravus’ furrowed brows of concern.

“Buck up.” Aranea quipped, picking up the chair he flipped over and positioning it upright roughly before sitting down.

“Wow, thanks Aranea, you’re such a wonderful pal.” Loqi grumbled, kicking at Aranea’s hand as she patted his knee in encouragement. Silence fell over the two, no wait, three, it was so easy to forget Ravus was there sometimes. He was always so quiet, he just blended into the grey walls of Nifleheim to be honest.

“I’m getting transferred.” Aranea stated bluntly. Loqi snorted and waved a hand lazily at her.

“Bye bye bitch.”

“How lovely.” She scoffed in response, he could hear the chair move slightly as she stood up.

“Where to?”

“That’s a good question.”

“Wow Aranea.”

“Oh, like you can talk.” She commented, her voice getting further and further away. He waved again.

“Have fun love.”

“Always.” Was the last word that fell from Aranea’s lips and Loqi sighed, the room falling still and silent. He sat up and froze as he noticed Ravus was still there, right. Loqi ran a hand through his hair and sighed again, eyes lifting to meet Ravus’ own.

“How can I help you Fleuret?”

“What happened in the mission?” _Ugh._

Loqi leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, eyes trained on the floor as he reported to his superior.

“The mission was a failure. I was unable to dispatch the King of Lucis and I was also unable to obtain the rogue MT that presented itself in Insomnia during the fall. I failed because the MT proved itself to be more than I could handle; two airships were destroyed as well as the new mechanised units that were sent out with me because I was a fucking _incompetent_ prick. Happy?” He threw a glare at Ravus who crossed his arms, frowning back.

“Did L-”

“No, your _precious_ little sister didn’t get hurt, she’s _fine._ ” Loqi spat, pushing himself off his desk and moving around it to the back.

“...Is that everything?”

Loqi looked up, offended shock glistening in his eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“Is that everything?”

Loqi narrowed his eyes, moving back around his desk and towards Ravus, marching with short, angry steps. Just leave him alone, just let him be, for _fucks sake._

“Do you want that to be everything?” He purred, pushing into Ravus’ space, practically leaning his body against him. It didn’t take long for the High Commander to push him off, heading for the door.

“Aww, what’s wrong Ravus? I thought you wanted to know if that was _everything?_ ” Loqi called out to him, forcing a smirk onto his face as he watched the other man exit the room, slamming the door behind him angrily. Always push them away. Then it’s just you, and you know how to deal with just you.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

_There’s some soft humming in his ear. He looks up through his lashes to see her face, blurred and vague. It’s like there’s some weird filter on it, but only it, everything else is clear around her face; her dirty blonde hair falling like curtains, framing her face and neck as she looks down at him, hand running through his short hair. It’s too short for the action to be completely comforting, it’s only just started growing back since they shaved it._

_She’s humming. It’s nice. He tries to identify the tune but it’s foreign and vague, something that belongs in another universe. He can’t process the lyrics; they’re too pretty for a place like Zegnatus Keep. Her singing falters, he knows this because the blurry shape that is her mouth has stopped moving, but the words keep flowing. They start pounding, rushing through his ears like blood to his head and suddenly something bangs loudly on the thick, iron bars of their cell and he-_

Prompto shoots upright, short of breath and eyes wide. Everything is blurry and he can’t figure out why until he rubs at his eyes. They clear and he looks at his hands, little puddles of tears are running over them. Oh. He wipes them away as he feels the surge of fear and adrenaline exit his system. He’s okay. He’s good. 

He looks around the tent, the soft breeze rustling through the leaves of trees outside and he’s overwhelmed by the feeling of summer. He hears soft talking and laughter and smiles. Sounds like everyone else is okay; that’s good, especially after _-oh._ Prompto freezes, a chill resting in his bones as static memories flicker through his mind, he barely manages to grasp them and piece together what happened but he thinks he has the basic idea.

_The Scourge._

He used it. He remembers getting angry and there was a loud screeching of metal. Lots of red. He gripped his arms tightly, digging his nails in, hoping that the inner turmoil he felt inside him would fade with the presence of physical pain, a pain and throbbing that he could understand instead of this unsteady beat that tore him apart within his rib-cage.

“Alright, let’s check on-oh! You’re awake!” 

He jolts back from the open flap where Luna leans through. She falls still, face becoming reassuringly passive but in an understanding sort of way. She moves forwards slowly, scooching over to sit next to Prompto.

“Are you alright?”

“Um..I guess?” That was apparently not the right answer given how Luna frowns. He opens his mouth to say something else when he’s thrown off. There’s something off about her…

“Have you...why are covered in sweat?” He asks. Okay that was probably a rude question. Luna blinks rapidly and looks down at herself.

“Oh, I was working out with Clarus, we did some running.”

“I love running!”

“Then you can join us next time, but for now you will answer my question.” She stated, eyes meeting Prompto’s pointedly and he sighed.

“I did!”

“Prompto.”

He resigns himself to fate and bows his head, looking at his hands which have fallen into his lap, curled slightly like flowers opening in the morning, like his eyes when he used to wake up and realise he was still in hell.

“I used the Scourge.”

“You did.” Luna whispered softly.

“Did I…” _bodies and piles shapes and colours spilling onto floors and faces splattering his cheeks so warm marks on the paper the dead tree determining his fate pass through the doors either to fire or “family” was he acceptable what else did they need him to do he’ll do it just let him stay with her he misses her where is his mot-_ “...did I hurt anyone?”

His voice comes out meek and quiet. He doesn’t dare meet Luna’s eyes but he watches as her soft hand gently reaches out to his arm, palm covering the marks where his fingernails had carved into his flesh, little specks of blood having appeared over his skin. She has slight callouses, he notes as he feels her hand grip his arm reassuringly, must be from all the training.

“Of course not, Prompto you would nev-”

_Screeches and there’s a woman being dragged into the room of white and red he turns and looks he barely registers her face and they tell him that she’s past her expiry date he doesn’t understand and then they motion to his wrist to her wrist and he knows he feels fear he doesn’t want to be past his expiry date please make him live a little longer please_

“You don’t know that.” He hisses and it’s darker than he wanted it to be. He can feel Luna recoil slightly but she moves her hand back to its place on his arm.

“Prompto…”

_Gleipnir they tell him to summon Gleipnir and he does he summons it with a crackle and snap of his spine he feels it charged and static along his back and the red and black chains dangle at the edges of his vision everything is out of focus except for the words they say their orders they tell him to dispose of her to rid them of her failed presence he raises his chains and she screams he knows she screams she must have anyone would scream if they were about to murdered like this_

“I shouldn’t have used it, I’m sorry, I just...I was so worried and scared and I thought that this would work. That it would at least do something good for once and it did! Didn’t it? I mean it didn’t hurt anyone right? Right?”

_The fuzz clears before his eyes and the people in white coats are saying ‘good job’ and they ignore his screaming as he grabs her head and cradles it in his arms because those are beautiful blonde locks that used to frame her face as she sang him to sleep and held him close through cold nights and there’s a space between her head and neck where she used to live and he’s screaming and there’s snot and spittle dripping from his face as he cries and screams and alternates the two until they pull him off of her until they remove her body and he knows she’s going to the fire and he can’t have that he doesn’t want that don’t take her from him please oh gods he didn’t mean to do this please don’t hate him mother mother please don’t scream i’m sorry i’m so sorry i didn’t want to it made me they made i would’ve died please don’t be mad i’m so sorry_

“Of course not. Prompto, Prompto look at me please.” He lifts his head slowly to meet her eyes and feels guilty as he realises that their glistening. He knows that look too well, he’s seen it in the mirror all too often.

“Prompto, I don’t know what the Scourge has done in the past. I care about what it has done, it has obviously hurt you, but in that moment back at the Disc, you used it for the best of intentions. I am proud of you.” She smiled shakily.

“...proud?” He echoes lightly, and she laughs sadly, lifting her hands to cup his face. Tears are brimming on her eyes.

“Yes Prompto, you know exactly what that Scourge can do and you used it anyway. You protected us. You, quite possibly, saved our lives for the _second time_. That’s...that’s incredible.” He thinks he hears something mournful in her tone and he thinks that maybe he should ask what she’s thinking of but she continues, “We’re going to show this Scourge who’s boss, yes?”

Prompto can’t say no to that wilful, stony gaze, so he nods shakily. It seems like Luna is willing to take what she can get because she lets go of his face with a triumphant smile, reaching out and ruffling his hair enthusiastically in rough, random patterns.

“Wh-!! Luna!!!” He cries out, smile naturally stretching onto his face and he feels better. He was gonna kick the Scourge’s ass. This was his bitch to control, not the other way around. 

“This is what you get for sleeping in!” She cackled mercilessly and he could hardly believe this was Eos’ peaceful Oracle right next to him, being a morning menace and ruining his hair.

“You two alright in there?” Nyx calls from outside the tent.

“Perfectly fine!” Luna chirps back and Prompto hears a bark.

“What? Is Umbra back?” He asks, pushing her hands out his hair and her smile turns cheeky.

“Guess again!”

He barely has time to react before the canine bounces into the tent, tongue licking his face with furious enthusiasm and he yelps and surprise, falling backwards onto his elbows as the dog continues to assault his face to the backdrop of Luna’s wind-chime laughter. He manages to push the dog off him slightly. White fur. Umbra didn’t have white fur. Oh...my… _gods…_

“Tiny?!” He exclaimed and Tiny barked happily in response.

“Ah, well her name is actually Pryna.” Luna informed him but it flew over his head as Pryna leapt back onto him, licking his face happily and he laughed.

He felt better. He hadn’t hurt anyone. He’d used the Scourge and no one had died...well...no one he cared about...and Tin-Pryna!! She was back!!

He flopped onto his back and looked up at the tent’s fabric ceiling as Pryna sniffed his jaw.

“Today’s going to be a good day.”

“Actually, we’ve picked up some hunts and could really use your help so...we need you up as soon as possible.” Nyx calls from the tent’s doorway and Prompto groans, covering his eyes with his arm as Pryna moves off of him and over to Luna for a scratch behind the ear.

“Today is _not_ going to be a good day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um...I'm officially cursed...why can't I just let my baby boy be happy for once...


	28. (give me a reason to) Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have no regrets...well maybe a few -looks at my plans- I should probably update the tags at some point.

Storming down the halls with angry strides, Loqi turned sharply around a corner into another of the many brightly lit corridors the Empire seemed to favour. The sooner he got back to his office, the sooner he could kick his chair over again. He usually didn’t mind delivering reports to the Emperor, most of the time it brought him one step closer to a promotion and a higher pay. But this time...he was pretty sure that he’d taken one step towards decommissioning instead, and one step in Nif terms meant fifty steps. It was one of his few fuck-ups, that last mission, and yet he could already feel himself teetering on the edge of death.

_One more fuck-up…_

He bit back a strangled, guttural growl, opting to come to a stop and slam his fist against the concrete wall. Shit, that hurt. He winced, fiercely biting down on his lip hard enough to break through the skin as he pulled his hand away from the wall, inspecting its numb and slightly furled fingers. Well, it wasn’t like anything was broken...still hurt though.

“Shit.” He hissed, cradling his hand close to his chest. 

Loqi stood there for a bit, simply waiting out the numbing pain in his hand until he felt comfortable enough to let it fall back to his side. He sighed and looked up, freezing as he noticed he wasn’t alone in the hallway.

_Just walk past him._

He looked down at the floor and marched forwards, praying to whatever God the Lucians believed in, hoping that Ravus wouldn’t say anything. Just don’t say anything. Just leave him alone.

“Tummelt-” Ravus begins but Loqi makes sure he doesn’t stop (okay he might falter but he doesn’t stop), continuing his angry pace past the High Commander, forcing himself to keep his eyes trained to the ground so he wouldn’t look back because looking back is what people do when they’re _attached_ and he is _not_ attached.

He’s not.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto walks a little more slowly than the others, he needs a little space he thinks. He thinks that maybe Luna may just be, you know, quite possibly, the single best human being on Eos. She just...she doesn’t mind. She _cares_ about what he’s done, in the past, back at Zegnautus Keep but not because she’s scared but because she...she’s worried? About him? Prompto turns his lips inwards, holding back a smile.

She’s _worried_ about _him._

It felt nice to realise that, to hold that in his chest like some sacred little ball of light that glowed from his heart. She’s worried about him, and that means she cares about him. Well yeah, okay she obviously cares, she’s been worried about him before but Prompto always thought...well...he didn’t know what he thought. But now he _knows_ and it’s nice. 

He’s holding back his smile with a bit more force now and he thinks he probably looks like an idiot but he’s nudged out of his thoughts by a careful elbow. He looks up at Nyx and feels another _something_ glow warmly in his chest as he takes in the man’s slight smile.

“You know you _can_ smile right?” Nyx teases and Prompto flushes slightly but throws back a lighthearted smirk.

“Of course I do.” He huffs and Nyx looks amused, turning his gaze away from Prompto back to the main group ahead of them where Luna talks animatedly with Regis as Pryna bounces by her side.

“Then you should.”

“Sure sure.” Prompto waves.

“I’m serious,” and he sounds it. Prompto turns to look back at Nyx who isn’t looking at him but he’s also not looking at the others, his eyes are somewhere else, somewhere far away and Prompto thinks he knows that look from somewhere. He thinks he’s seen Noct wear that look before too.

“People look their best when they smile.”

That’s a sentiment Prompto can agree with. Of all the photos he’s taken of people the best ones are the ones where they, firstly, forget the camera’s there and, secondly, smile. He has a lot of pictures like that, some of Iggy and Gladio but most of…

...........

“Yeah, they do.” He agrees before puffing out his chest and jogging ahead a little, “But I look my best _all_ the time Ulric!” 

Nyx huffs and manages to walk past him, back to the others.

“That you do.”

Prompto freezes, smile stuck on his face and Nyx smirks, pleased with himself as the blond’s face turns slightly red. 

“What?” Prompto squeaks out in a quiet whisper but Nyx has already moved on ahead, leaving the gunner behind to throw frantic questions around in his head.

_Was that a compliment? Did he just compliment me? Did he just F L I R T with me?! Oh Gods, oh sweet Astrals above I’m over-thinking this, no there’s no way he did, yeah that’s just friendly banter, just really friendly bant-he F L I R T E D with M E!!! No, no way, what the fuck, oh Gods, Iggy please help me._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Ignis looks up, away from where Noctis finished up with a daemon, delivering the final, fatal strike with a flourish of blue light.

“You ‘k Iggy?” Gladio calls out, voice gruff with exhaustion as Ignis frowns, turning away and pulling out his handkerchief. He wipes his brow carefully as he thinks.

“Perfectly fine.”

“Y’see something?” Gladio asks, walking up to where Ignis stands on the plains, hand shielding the sun from his eyes as he looks over to where Ignis had been staring only a few moments ago.

“No, I just…”

“Just what?”

Ignis shook his head and tucked his handkerchief away, casting his daggers back into their blue in-existence with a slightly perplexed smile.

“Thought I sensed something.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The group crowded together behind a rock, Nyx leaning back to inspect the daemons that littered the plains.

“We good?” Clarus asked as everyone summoned their weapons.

“Of course!” Luna quipped confidently as she gripped her Trident more tightly, impatient excitement sparkling in her eyes. Clarus sighed fondly before turning to look at Prompto.

“How about you Blondie?”

“Yeah! I’m cool!” Prompto smiled, hands flighty and nervous over his hold on his guns. _Hm._ Clarus flicked his eyes over to Cor for barely a second but the Runt understood enough. Keep an eye on him.

“Alright, let us begin.” Gentiana hummed and everyone turned to her.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah well, um...you’re...gonna be joining us?” Prompto asked sheepishly.

“Of course.”

“How?” Cor asked and Gentiana looked at him from behind closed eyes.

“I have my ways.”

“Um...may we perhaps know those ways? It would be beneficial to the battle.” Regis amends as Gentiana turns to him, she was a rather imposing figure of power...but what kind of power was a mystery lost on him.

“I see. I am gifted with magic.”

There was a moment of silence where Nyx crossed his arms and met Gentiana with an unimpressed stare.

“Uh huh. Care to elaborate?”

“Ice magic specifically.”

“That’s not really much of an elaboration-”

 _“Nyx.”_ Luna whispered warningly and everyone turned away from Gentiana who sent her Lady a somewhat thankful smile. Luna gripped her Trident more tightly and met Regis’ eyes.

“I can say, with full confidence, that Gentiana is skilled in her ice magic. She can help fight.”

Regis looked from Gentiana to Luna to Clarus and visibly sagged.

“Of course.”

Prompto smiled as Luna practically preened, hand reaching up to where her mother’s necklace now hung proudly around her neck. 

“We ready to go?” Nyx asked, eyes darting back out to the daemons.

Clarus looked at everyone carefully, Luna and Gentiana seemed definitely prepared and just about to ready to run out onto the field with no back-up if they waited any longer, Cor was standing behind Prompto and watching as the kid continuously readjusted his grip on his weapons anxiously while Nyx positioned himself to warp.

“Seems so.” Regis confirmed for them all Clarus readied his sword.

“Then let’s go.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Ravus hunched himself over his desk, frown seemingly carving itself into his forehead as he leaned his head against his clasped hands. Everything was meant to be okay; Luna was safe, thank the Gods she was safe and with company. She was safe and she wasn’t alone. Ravus should be good, that should be enough for him but…

_Loqi._

Something was definitely wrong. Well...it always seemed like something was wrong with Loqi. The way he acted around Ravus, constantly seeking out his attention and then shoving him away, almost violently. Other times he just pretended Ravus didn’t exist...like earlier in the hall. 

It wasn’t that Ravus was lonely. He was just...concerned. If Loqi was off his game then Ravus might end up with more work, meaning more time possibly moving further away from Luna, from a position where he could help her. He was not lonely.

Loqi had always seemed to be a constant in his life. A constant pain, a constant annoyance...sometimes even a constant companion for whatever his sharp banter and rude comments were worth. He was just...always there.

Ravus sighed and stood up, pacing his room before a sharp knock sounded on his door.

“Enter.”

Loqi stepped inside, briskly walking over to Ravus’ desk and slapping a pile of papers down. He turned on his heel and went to leave when Ravus called out tentatively.

“How did the report go?”

_Just let him know that he’s not alone here, he doesn’t want to be alone ever again, losing his mother and Luna was enough, don’t let him lose himself in this darkness_

_“Swimmingly.”_ Was the short, sharp answer and Loqi began to head for the door again but Ravus managed to reach out and grab his elbow.

The both of them looked at his mechanised hand in surprise but Ravus quickly covered it up and...well, he asked the first thing that came to mind.

“Are you alright?”

Okay well maybe that wasn’t what he’d been meaning to ask, he’d just wanted to know...what _had_ he wanted to know?

Loqi recoiled sharply and Ravus expected him to yank his arm out of the Nox Fleuret’s grip but instead Loqi turned his face towards Ravus’ and sent him an unpleasant smirk.

“Unless you’re about to fuck me senseless _High Commander_ ,” He hissed, stepping closer, all teeth and gunfire going off behind his eyes inches from his face and wow okay maybe Ravus shouldn’t have said anything, “I suggest you let me go or I remind you how I managed to make Brigadier General.”

Ravus silently loosened his grip on Loqi’s arm, watching the short blond slip through his door and away off to...well, he was most likely headed down to the Mech Bay if Ravus was being completely honest with himself. He sighed and looked around his empty office, aching for his mother’s necklace and angrily shrugging off the twinge of regret he felt at passing it on to Luna.

He wasn’t lonely.

His face turned crest-fallen to the floor and he stood there in silence, waiting for something that never came.

He _wasn’t._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loqi is a nasty little gremlin but I love him dearly and poor Ravus, these boys need to pull their acts together...somehow...I'll figure something out. ALSO!!! Yes, Nyx just fucking flirted with Prompto~ MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
> 
> Edit: I updated the tags, be scared >:D


	29. Take Your Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HOO BOI THIS ATE UP A FAIR BIT OF TIME AND IT SURE AS HELL WAS A BITCH TO WRITE HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT THOUGH

Prompto rested his chin on his crossed arms, the breeze playing with his hair as they drove down the highway. His eyelids fluttered shut, a smile curving across his lips as the welcoming silence filled his head. Nothing but his own thoughts. He wasn’t used to this, being just by himself. His own thoughts rang around in his head and everything felt right and good and...well. That was an itch...a very aggravating itch and _oh no._

The peace that had been oh so short came crashing down like Insomnia in his head and he jolted back as the Scourge rolled towards him in great crashing waves of limbs, eyes rolling and teeth gnashing as one big great mouth. It’s many twisted and gnarled hands grabbed at him, holding him, shaking him violently and screaming with tongues he didn’t understand and didn’t want to understand.

It was so loud; deafening wails and screeches ripping at his ears until the marble fingers with jagged claws actually began ripping at his ears and it was just so painful. Why was it always so painful? That peace he had had for that one moment had been so good and so sweet and why had it left so soon?

“Prompto!”

That was Luna’s voice, he wanted to turn to see if but the Scourge’s sickeningly gelatinous body had begun to encase him and he couldn’t move and he needed help please help him-

_“Prompto!”_

He burst back into the car, eyes flying and taking in the startled faces, barely noticing how Nyx was pulling over, his nervous gaze flicking up to the rear-view mirror to look at Prompto. Luna hovers next to him, hands steady on his left arm and he wants to ask what happened but when he opens his mouth he feels something _other_ than words rise up his throat. He claps a hand over his mouth and begins to open the door, Nyx yells at him to stay in the car but he ducks and rolls out over to the side of the road. He needs to throw the fuck up right _now._

“Prompto! Prompto, wait!” Luna calls after him as the car skids to a sudden stop. She pushes her way out of the car and staggers, regaining her balance briefly before rushing over to Prompto’s side where he sat crouched, bent over and retching. She can’t help turning her nose up at the smell but it doesn’t stop her from rubbing his back in slow reassuring circles. She turns and throws Gentiana a concerned frown as her guide exits the car, making her way towards them with small steps.

“Prompto,” Gentiana began, voice soft and gentle on his ears, “tell us what happened.”

The blond heaves a few gulps of air down his lungs before he can even think about talking; it takes a few more minutes until he says his first word.

“Scourge.”

Luna frowns and looks to Gentiana who had opened her eyes, staring intently at Prompto, studying each shaky movement as Regis, Clarus and Cor hop out of their car and make their way over to Nyx who stood with Pryna to the side.

“It...it just came back and...sorry. It was just sudden that’s all…” He mumbled, trailing off, his voice turning into an embarrassed mumble.

“It’s quite alright.” Gentiana reassured him before even Luna could speak up, “This just means we shall have to begin sooner than I had anticipated.”

Both Luna and Prompto turned to Gentiana with confused expressions on their faces.

“Begin?” Prompto echoed, “Begin what?”

“I shall teach you how to better control the Scourge within you. It may take some time but it is for a good cause.” Gentiana’s voice softened, green eyes staring honestly into Prompto’s blue and violet pair before snapping shut.

“You’re...gonna teach me?”

“Of course.” 

Gentiana stood up, ignoring how Prompto’s mouth flapped uselessly, trying to figure out what to say. He turned to Luna with shock crackling in his eyes.

“When did-what?”

“You heard her.” Luna smirked, standing and helping Prompto to his feet, smirk falling into a tender smile as he murmured a brief thanks, wiping at his mouth before trailing after her. He threw a sheepish grin at Nyx as the glaive rested a hand on his shoulder in comfort while Regis and Clarus threw him worried looks.

“I’m fine guys.” He laughed, eyes flicking to where Gentiana stood a little outside the group, simply observing. He felt a chill run up his spine and for the second that it froze his blood, it silenced the choir. He furrowed his brow in thought as he stepped back inside the car, looking at the back of the passenger’s seat where Gentiana sat, buckling herself in carefully as Nyx started up the engine, casting Prompto another concerned glance that the blond shrugged off. He ran his fingers through Pryna’s fur in rhythmic patterns that made it easier to breathe, closing his eyes and relaxing into his mind, searching for some semblance of silence again.

He hopes Gentiana can teach him how to be ‘fine’.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct rested his hands on his knees, doubled over as he swallowed air like it was phoenix down and he was _dying._

“Is that-” He pants to Ignis who sidles up next to him, “Is that all of them?” His throat is burning with each inhale and dear gods, please let that be all of them.

“It would appear so.”

“Oh _thank the gods._ ” Noct groans, falling to his knees and falling onto the grass.

“Wow, you complain about sleeping in tents but noooo, grass and dirt is fine.”

“Shove it up your ass Gladio.” Noct bites back as his Shield stands next to him, his foot moving out and prodding Noct’s back. The prince rolls over and flips him off, spreading his legs out as the cool breeze helps him regain his composure somewhat.

“Come on your _Highness,_ ” Gladio chirps happily in a mocking tone (just ‘cause the brute was okay with being covered in gross sweat... _ugh_ ), “nap time was three hours ago.”

“Nap time is never over. It is decreed.” Noct mumbled, blocking the sun from his eyes lazily. Gladio prods at him again and he whacks the foot away fiercely.

“Come now Noct, wouldn’t you prefer to rest in the car?” Ignis attempted to coerce him, contemplative silence his only answer until Noct pointed upwards at his advisor.

“Make it a hotel and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

 _“Fine.”_ Ignis sighed, walking back to the car as Gladio pulled Noct up off the ground. He really needed a cup of coffee.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“That went smoothly.” Regis remarked as Prompto looked back to them with a wobbly smile, nodding in confirmation while he and Nyx remained by the counter to collect the food. Regis shuffled over to an empty booth, letting Clarus take the seat closest to the window before being squished in from the other side by Cor.

“Where did Luna and Gentiana disappear to?” He asked the Immortal who shrugged, his frown etching angry wrinkles into his forehead as he nodded to the window. Clarus and Regis turned to look out and see Luna dragging Gentiana over to the toilet block in the parking lot, one hand tightly grasping her guides and the other holding an array of clothing.

“Oh.” Regis murmured to himself as the pair disappeared inside the block.

“It makes sense, Gentiana definitely stands out with the clothing she has now.” Clarus replied before turning away from the window to his friends.

“How do we think we’re going?”

“In general or do you mean our mode of transport?” Cor responded, flat tone causing Clarus’ eye to twitch. Regis sighed and intervened, sitting up and leaning back against the cushioned seat.

“I would say we’re progressing well…” He trailed off, eyes landing on how Prompto scratched at his right wrist. He frowned.

“You sure?” Clarus asked as he and Cor followed Regis’ gaze.

“I just feel that there’s...a lot we don’t understand…”

Clarus pulled his gaze from the blond, leaving Cor to watch him with an almost angrily protective stare as Nyx flopped an arm over his shoulders. He turned to Regis and let his head droop a little.

“Yeah, I get ya.”

“But...more than us not understanding,” Regis continued, eyes narrowing as they looked at his weathered hands folded in his lap, “I feel that the very person we are failing to understand is worrying over this too.”

“Wait, what-”

“Hey guys! Sorry that took so long.” Prompto apologised as he balanced two trays in his hands like he was a waiter, sweeping them down onto the table in front of the three men before taking his own seat across from Clarus, “What were you guys talkin’ about?”

“Oh nothing.” Regis smiles warmly at him as Nyx slides in next to the blond, the old monarch was silent for a moment, picking up a fry and chewing on it thoughtfully as Prompto wolfed into his burger. He glanced at Prompto and sighed, turning to the younger man with a concerned gaze.

“Prompto.”

“Yeah?” Prompto managed to speak around his food, blue and violet eyes darting up to meet Regis’, immediately reading the mood and placing his food down, wiping his hands on the front of his shirt, “Everything okay?”

“I want you to feel comfortable around us, I want you to trust us.”

Prompto frowned, casting Nyx a quizzical quirk of his eyebrows that the glaive shrugged at.

“Um...okay?”

“I know you’re not telling us everything.” Prompto stiffened, shoulders locking up tensely and Cor glared at Regis warningly.

“I’m sorry I jus-”

“I don’t care.”

The blond flinched, Nyx put down his burger and gently gripped Prompto’s arm in reassurance. 

“I’m sorry.” He whispered quietly, the tinkling metallic sounds of cutlery being washed and the old tunes of arcade games rang out in the background, following the beat of soft murmurs from the other customers of the diner.

“I don’t want you to be,” Regis replied carefully, “Prompto I don’t care about knowing or not knowing everything about you. The man you are now is enough.” Prompto’s eyes darted back up, wide and burning into the old monarch’s, “You can keep your secrets Prompto, I don’t care, I don’t mind. I have my own secrets and who am I to judge another man for having his own? Now eat up, your food will go cold the longer you let your jaw drag along the floor.”

Nyx slowly turned to Regis with the same wide eyes that Clarus and Cor were looking at him with. He sat a little straighter, feeling something resolve itself within him as he ate another fry happily. He flicked his eyes to Prompto to see the boy attempt to hold back a smile a bit before Nyx broke out of his spell, clapping the blond on the shoulder causing Prompto to erupt into a cheery grin that brought roses to his cheeks. Good. He looked more at peace.

“Okay, everyone eat up, ah, save some fries for Luna and Gentiana though.” Nyx reminded them all and Regis nodded begrudgingly, immediately beginning to eye Cor’s fries which the marshall slid further away from the old king.

Nyx looked at Prompto out of the corner of his eye, lips quirking up into a small smile as he noticed the blond still smiling, radiating like the sun, while he ate. He really did look his best when he smiled. Happiness was beautiful on him and wait what. Nyx froze. Oh. That was...okay? Hmm.

“Oh! You ordered food!”

The group turned to Luna as she swooped into her seat, scooching along to make extra space for Gentiana before swiftly stealing a couple fries away from Cor who sent her a petulant glare. 

“Oh hey! Your new clothes look pretty good on you Gentiana.” Prompto chirped and Gentiana lowered her head, as if looking down at her attire with her seemingly eternally closed eyes. Cor turned to look at her. Tank top, jacket tied around the waist, jeans that would hopefully not restrict her movement in battle, and a hardy looking pair of boots. Much better.

“Not bad.” He offered and Gentiana ‘looked’ at him.

“Thank you.” She murmured, slipping into the booth next to Luna. Cor almost snorted as he saw Prompto get squished up against the window before lifting his feet onto the seat, standing up and sitting on the top of the booth, resting his food in his lap. Regis regarded him incredulously and Prompto shrugged.

“I thought you just said you were cool with the man I was?” Prompto quipped defensively, eyes widening in impressed alarm as Regis, Clarus and Nyx burst into laughter, leaving Luna and Gentiana to look up at him, confused, and Cor to hide his snort of amusement, throwing an apologetic gaze at the waitress behind the counter who sighed, surrendering to the ruckus emanating from their table.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Hey, rise and shine princess.” Gladio said as he shook Noct awake, pulling back as he began to wake up, sitting up in the backseat of the regalia and looking around with bleary eyes.

“Where…?”

“Hotel, per your request.” Ignis answered, opening the door for Noct as he stumbled out, falling into Gladio with exhausted steps.

“Woah buddy, take it easy there.”

“Sorry.” Noct mumbled, yawning and attempting to stand up straight, stretching his arms above his head and Ignis wrinkled his nose.

“First thing you are going to do when you get inside the room, Noct, is take a shower.” Noct turned to him with sad, puppy eyes, too tired to care about sweat now that he had tasted the sweet temptation of a nap.

“What about sleep?”

“Later.”

Noct groaned, falling back against Gladio who caught him, feigning annoyance as amusement managed to crinkle his eyes and Ignis rubbed his forehead.

“How about we just get inside first?”

“Sounds good.” Noct slurred, falling asleep in Gladio’s arms who groaned, slinging an arm over his shoulder and dragging him indoors.

“Lovely,” Ignis muttered to himself as he followed the pair inside, “absolutely charming Noct, what a fine prince you are.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto fell back against the bed, tears glittering in his eyes.

“A _bed_ , holy Astrals, it’s a bed, Nyx it’s a _bed._ ”

“Yes Prompto, I can see that.” Nyx laughed to himself as Prompto flipped over onto his stomach, squealing into the bed covers bundled up around his face, his legs kicking the air happily.

“It’s a bed!!”

“Calm down, you need to have a shower first.” Nyx smirked as Prompto groaned, legs sagging against the bed as Nyx dropped their bags at the end of the bed.

“You good there?” He asked, his only response a feeble thumbs up as the blond continued to press his face into the bed.

“You’re gonna suffocate if you keep doing that.”

“T’would be a worthy sacrifice.”

“Get up drama queen.” Prompto dragged out a groan from his lungs, rolling over and sliding off the bed, landing on the floor with a solid ‘thump’ and groaning some more.

“Boo hoo, the world is ending.”

“It is.” Prompto sighed sadly as he stood up and dusted himself off. He went to say something else to Nyx, lips opening and glistening in the afternoon ligh- _holy fuck._ Nyx snapped his eyes shut and mentally scolded himself because why did this have to start happening _now_ as Cor appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

“You two good?”

“Yup!” Prompto chirped at him, rushing over to his side as Nyx turned his body around so he was facing the marshall properly.

“Good, I’m gonna call Cid.”

“Wait when did you have his number?” Prompto asked but Cor ignored him, instead dialling the number in his phone and lifting it to his ear. The blond turned to Nyx for answers but the glaive just shrugged helplessly moving over to his side, waiting for Cid to answer Cor.

_“Hello?”_

“Cid.”

_“Oh fuck, it’s you.”_

“It’s me, what can you tell us about the Empire’s movements?”

_“What makes ya think I know somethin’?”_

“Don’t sell yourself short, hunters pass through your garage constantly.” Cor replied, eyes glancing to where Regis and Clarus approached, Luna and Gentiana trailing close behind. Luna squeezed past and sidled up next to Prompto, throwing him a questioning glance that he responded to by mimicking Nyx’s earlier shrug.

_“Ha! True. Alright, Nifs are movin’ out to the Archaean, somethin’ stirred ‘em up, I’m bettin’ that was you lot.”_

“That all?”

 _“I’m not a computer Runt,”_ Cid answered gruffly on the other end, metallic clangs ringing through the line, _“How ‘bout this? I call you when I hear somethin’.”_

“Sounds good.” 

Before Cid could respond Cor hung up, shaking his head wearily.

“Sounds like the Prince is going to have a rough time at the Disc.”

“The Empire?” Clarus asked. Cor nodded sharply as he tucked his phone back into this pocket.

“He’ll be alright?” Nyx murmured, eyes glancing to Cor who wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Nothing else we can do but wait for a reply I suppose.” Luna mumbled, leaning against Prompto for support who leaned back, quiet and staring at the floor as Regis chewed on his bottom lip with a worried rhythm. Nothing to do but wait.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi sat in his quarters, feet up on his desk as he propelled a tissue into the air with a steady exhale of air from his lungs. Just a little longer...a little bit longer and he’d beat his record... _come on-_

“Uh...sir?” 

Loqi stiffened in alarm, his breath failing him and the tissue fell onto the floor next to him in grand, swinging movements. He rubbed a hand over his face, composing himself before sliding it down over his eyes so he could see the impudent interruption.

“What is it now you little shit?”

“Um, it’s just, that report you wanted of the mech-”

“Her name was Lady you uncultured _swine._ ”

“O-Of course sir! My apologies, um, anyway, here’s the report.” The officer dropped the bundle of papers on his desk and ran away, nearly skidding into the wall as he disappeared. Loqi snorted, a devilish smirk twisting its way onto his face as he opened up the report and skim-read.

Blah-de-blah, numbers and codes he didn’t get, blah blah blah, a phone number and a name, yes yes very good- _hold the fucking phone._

Loqi sat up excitedly, scanning over the number and name over and over again.

_Cor Leonis._

_The Immortal._

He placed the papers down on his desk and spun his chair around, humming happily to himself.

This was going to be _good._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, thank you to everyone who answered my question on tumblr or gave me some tips and pointers! I have decided to split this story into three parts. This part, as it is, is nowhere near finished, so I'm afraid if I keep it altogether in the same part, the length will be too intimidating for readers to even begin. Hopefully splitting it up will help reassure people!! I hope you guys are looking forward to the other parts! Here's a little hint of what I have in mind: 
> 
> Something is gonna break and  
> Fire
> 
> See ya~!


	30. Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I updated!!! I don't know if I'll be able to update for a while longer, I'll see how the next two days go. I have a lot of school shit going on atm but I've also managed to get a lot of work done this week too (like my art folio omg I am glad that's over) and I'm going on break for two weeks so maybe??? I'll be able to update??? I honestly don't know, we'll just have to wait and see <3
> 
> Anyway! I'm sorry in advance if this chapter feels a little all over the place? I haven't written for Insomnia Falls in a long time so it took me a bit to figure out what was going on and what I wanted to happen. Regardless, I hope it's still an enjoyable read for you all. Thank you so much for continuing with my story and I hope I will see you again for future updates!
> 
> Love you all!!

“Let us begin.” Gentiana declared in her constantly gentle tone as Prompto yawned, sitting down in front of her and frowning in irritation as the grass poked through his jeans.

“Focus Prompto.”

“I know,” He mumbled, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, “I’m trying.” The blond shuffled around awkwardly and licked his dry lips, ugh, he could really use some lip balm-

“Are you ready?”

“Oh! Yeah, I mean sure...I think...what are we doing exactly?” He asked and Gentiana seemed to deflate a little, her hands poised carefully in her lap, completely centered.

“I am going to teach you how to control the Scourge within you.”

“I got that, I’m just a little hung up on the uh...well the _how_ part.” Prompto explained with vague, lost hand gestures while she listened carefully for his confusion.

“I see, perhaps it is best I explain further.”

 _“Please.”_ Prompto sighed, exhaustion hitting him once more as he stifled a yawn, waiting for Gentiana to collect her thoughts. She sat there silently, completely still and the lithe blond regarded her with concern; her eyes weren’t open. Had she...had she fallen asleep?

“The Scourge,” she spoke suddenly, ignoring how Prompto jolted back in shock, “how does it manifest within you?”

“What do you mean?”

“How do you see it?”

“Um,” He frowned, “It’s got faces and...a lot of teeth...I don’t know, it’s basically goo.” Gentiana nodded as if this was some sacred wisdom he was bestowing upon her.

“I see, it’s hard to grasp.”

“Yeah…” 

“Then if you cannot grasp it with your bare hands, you catch it and contain it.”

“Okay, yeah sure…no wait, how am I supposed to do that?” Prompto asked breathlessly, brave enough to admit that there was panic edging in on his voice, “I can barely even confront this thing and you want me to _catch it?_ ”

“It is your own mind Prompto.” Gentiana explained slowly after she waited for him to calm, for his storm to blow over and for all inner turmoil to subside, “This is your body and your life, the Scourge is the virus, a deadly infection. It doesn’t matter how you fight it, how you contain it, as long as you can envision the process, then you can do it.”

“So,” He paused, taking in a sharp breath that stretched his back straight before folding in on himself, gaze pointed to his lap where his hands lay cradled and curled, “as long as I can see myself beating it, I can?”

“Anything is possible when you put your mind to it.”

He kept his gaze low before cautiously lifting it, tensing as he looked into Gentiana’s bone-chilling, open eyes.

“Close your eyes.”

He swallowed down the nervous wave of saliva gathering in his mouth and followed her instructions.

“Breathe in.”

He slowly filled his lungs, focusing his sole attention on feeling the way they expanded, the way his chest moved and held itself.

“And out.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

He didn’t have to open his eyes to know where he was. The Scourge was built up, throbbing and angry in front of him, breathing its great, hulking breath onto his face and he curled back in disgust. It smelt _horrible_. It smelt of burning flesh and syringes and nightmare fuel alongside reassuring smiles that only ever lied.

_You’re doing great, just one last test and then you can go back to your mother, okay?_

No, you’re lying, you’re always lying, it’s always just one more test with you and it hurts and it’s never worth it because it hurts too much for this fragile skin and brittle bone to take. It hurts too much.

_YOU LEFT US_

_YOU NEED US_

_HOW COULD YOU_

Prompto’s glowing red eyes flew open, meeting the Scourge’s many own. His hands balled into tight, angry fists, shaking with a fury he had kept locked in. 

_Contain it._

Maybe yelling at it would help?

“HOW COULD I?!” He screamed at it, nervous confidence surging up through his stomach as he saw the Scourge flinch backwards, “MORE LIKE HOW COULD _YOU?!_ THIS IS MY BODY!! MY LIFE!! YOU! DO NOT! CONTROL ME!”

He barely had time to take a replenishing breath of putrid, polluted air before the Scourge enveloped him, suffocating him, squishing out every last gasping breath as it compressed his body, he could feel everything in him about to snap and Gods above the metallic, sterile yet contaminated liquid was trickling down his throat and he coughed and spluttered and he could feel tears ripping their way through his skin, down his face, fingernails catching and breaking on the more solid parts of the Scourge, unblinking eyes staring gleefully into his terrified own and-

_“Prompto.”_

He gasped back to life, eyes shooting open as he fell backwards onto the ground, the collision knocking something loose in his throat and he rolled over, coughing it out with raw wretches as Gentiana rubbed his back soothing, a chill collecting along his spine before numbing the ache that had somehow taken over his whole body, the cold soothing the pain in his throat and throbbing in his head. The Scourge faded and he flopped down next to the mess he’d made on the ground, eyes slipping shut with exhaustion which totally wasn’t fair; he’d just woken up for crying out loud!

“Breathe Prompto. You must compose yourself.” Gentiana’s voice broke through the haze, soft and clear. He clung to it, sliding his eyes open wearily and looking up into her face, pursed lips and concern barely tipping her eyebrows downwards. He took in one shaky breath after another.

“I’m…trying…” His voice was barely above a rasp. 

Gentiana’s soothing hand movements up and down his spine slowed, light pressure carefully easing his back until he felt he could breathe normally again.

“We are here for you Prompto.”

Blue eyes glance up to the guide, eyebrows quirking bemusedly as she stares back at him with open eyes, strong and unwavering.

“Yeah…thanks Gen.”

“Gen?” She echoed, her curious confusion allowing a flustered flush to consume Prompto's face.

“Ah, sorry, I just-well, your whole name is a bit of a mouthful so I, uh, sorry.” His voice dropped off into a sheepish mumble, averting his gaze to the grass underneath him. Gentiana hummed before nodding to herself, removing her hand from Prompto’s back and standing up, figure carefully poised with ethereal grace.

“I like it.”

“You…you do?”

“Yes.”

The flush dimmed on Prompto’s cheeks as a bright, beaming smile crept onto his face. Gentiana pursed her lips in a small smile before turning away and back to the small motel.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Nyx turned away from the boot of the car as Luna tip-toed up next to him, arms full of delicate glass vials.

“Is that everything?”

“Think so,” Nyx glanced back to the piles of bags in the back of the car, quickly checking that everything was secure and in its place, “You got everything you needed?”

“Yes! Luna grinned, the vials clinking in her arms as she lifted them up, “We have plenty of curatives!”

“Uh-huh, you got a bag to carry that all in?”

“Oh…” Luna frowned, her mood dropping as she looked down at all the curatives nestled against her.

“Here, use this!” Prompto bounced up beside them, lifting up a small, empty satchel.

“Oh thank you Prompto!” Luna smiled gratefully as the other blond spread the bag open so she could slide the curatives into the bag. He smiled at her, his bubbly grin stunning Nyx momentarily as the former glaive tripped over his own thoughts until eventually realising that he was staring and lifting his gaze away from the blond, looking back over to where Regis, Clarus, Cor and Gentiana stood, Pryna patiently sitting by the Guide’s side. The look the former monarch’s Shield gave him signalled that their presence was requested.

Nyx looked back to the two blonds next to him and bopped them on the head as soon as they were done packing the curatives.

“Come on.”

The three walked over to the others, greeted with small smiles and nods of the head while Pryna stood up and circled around Luna’s legs.

“So we’ve dealt with the Archaean,” Clarus clarified, “which Astral do we have to contact next?”

Luna furrowed her brow in thought.

“I suppose next should be Ramuh, he is the closest.” She mumbled.

“That will not be necessary.” Gentiana interrupted softly.

“It won’t?”

“No,” the Guide shook her head, “the Fulgurian is already lying in wait for the Chosen King. I suggest we move on.”

“To Altissia you mean?” Nyx asked.

“Yes.”

Clarus glanced to Regis, confusion heavy in his eyes as the former monarch allowed concern to cloud his mind.

“Does this mean we have some free time at our disposal?”

“It would seem so.” Luna confirmed.

“Then, shouldn’t we try meeting up with Noctis?” Regis suggested.

“Unfortunately I believe it would be best if you continued on to Altissia as soon as possible.” Gentiana stated solemnly. 

“I see.” Regis mumbled quietly.

“Don’t worry Reggie,” Clarus spoke gruffly, nudging his long-time friend in the side, “Noctis will be fine, he has Gladio and Ignis with him after all.”

“Yes.” Regis perked up a bit.

Prompto sent the old king a small smile before turning his gaze inwards on himself. He wondered if Noct missed him at all. Probably not. Which was fine. He must have a lot on his plate. The Empire, the war, Astrals. Prompto tried his best to make sure his happy demeanour, to forget the ache the Noct’s absence produced in his heart, to forget the fear of the Scourge writhing under his skin…what if he couldn’t control it? What if all of this was for nothing and he…what if…in the end he…he had to…

He tried not to falter, tried not to arouse anyone’s suspicions, but he’s pretty sure he saw Nyx notice.

Nyx always seems to notice.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Looks like we made good time.”

Noct opened his eyes blearily, rubbing at them before being able to fully take in the scenery that passed by them.

“Where are we?”

“Lestallum Noct,” Ignis sighed, “we’re making a short pit-stop before heading straight on to the Archaean.”

The Regalia slowed down as pedestrians began to cluster more frequently, crowds ambling past without paying any mind to the young king in the car. Noct leant against the door, watching the people disappear behind them before Ignis slowed down to a stop, pulling into a car-park and turning off the ignition.

“Alright, let’s stock up.”

“Divide and conquer?” Gladio asked, stretching his arms so much that Noct swore he heard some joints pop. Gross.

“Why not?” Noct yawned, stumbling out of the car and throwing his Shield a glare upon recovery, choosing to not comment on the snort Gladio let out.

“Alright, let’s set up some ground rules,” Ignis declared, blatantly ignoring Noct’s childish mutter ‘don’t you mean _you’re_ gonna set up some ground rules?’, “No alerting the public as to who you are, no buying any useless equipment including, but not exclusive to, that new book you’ve always wanted-”

Gladio coughed nervously.

“-or that new reel of fishing line the store has just procured.”

“Wha-! Hey! I fish and I get us food, it’s a win-win situation!” Noct complained.

“And last but not least,” Ignis cut over the top of the young king, “do not-”

“ _‘Do not attempt to sneak any expensive or unimportant foods into the shopping basket when I’m not looking’_ , right?” Came the bubbly voice from behind Ignis that had the strategist jumping out of his skin and whipping around, panicked, only to be met with a cheeky peace sign and smile.

“Iris?” Noct breathed out in shock as Gladio ran up to his little sister, sweeping her up in his arms while she giggled in delight.

“Hi to you too Gladdy! Noct! Iggy! How have you guys been?” She asked from over Gladio’s hulking shoulder.

“Absolutely stellar.” Noct laughed, walking over to hold the hand she stretched out to him, “How about yourself?”

“Well,” Iris pouted, “being a refugee isn’t exactly fun but I guess I’ve been pretty lucky.”

“You’ve managed to find a place to stay?” Ignis inquired.

“Yeah, I’ve been staying at the Leville with some of the other refugees, Gladdy, you remember Jared?” Iris asked, slowly wriggling free from her brother’s grasp and letting go of Noct’s hand.

“The butler?”

“Yeah! He’s at the Leville too with his grand-son.” She chirped, bouncing on her feet as her sparkling eyes looked over the three of them before deflating.

“So…you guys didn’t…run into Prompto or…Dad?” She turned to Gladio, eyes hopeful. 

“Nah, but he’s okay. They’re all okay Iris.” He reassured her, smile softening as he watched her tear up in relief. She bit her bottom lip and rubbed at her eyes quickly.

“Sorry! I just-”

“It’s fine, we were like that too.” Noct murmured gently. Iris managed to let a small, watery laugh escape her lips before slapping her cheeks and trying to compose herself.

“Okay! You guys wanna head over to the Leville or shop around first?”

“The Leville huh?” Noct hummed.

“What can I say? It’s a hip-happening place.” She shrugged, trying to alleviate the drop in the atmosphere and bolster it back up to optimism.

“Then I guess we just _have_ to check it out.” Gladio smirked.

All three of them turned to Ignis expectantly. The strategist sighed and unlocked the boot of the Regalia with the click of a button.

“Get the bags.”

“Yes!” Noct fist-pumped excitedly, darting over to the boot and slinging a bag over his shoulder.

“You dork.” Iris laughed before moving to help him, leaving Gladio and Ignis to follow and collect the remaining bags. The three boys then turned to trail after Iris as she marched them through Lestallum towards the Leville.

At least they’d be spending another night in a hotel.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“You okay?”

Prompto jolted at the soft voice, pushing himself off the tree and turning around to see Nyx gazing at him with gentle concern, the recently lit fire and the rest of their group visible through the trees.

“Ah, yeah, sorry. Did I miss dinner?” He hurriedly apologised, wiping frantically at his eyes to get rid of the tears that had been surfacing.

“Nah, they just started serving it. I came to get you.”

“Oh, thanks.” He laughed wetly, hands still rubbing at his eyes so he wouldn’t have to look at Nyx.

“No problem.”

Prompto finished wiping at his eyes but kept his gaze pointed downwards, avoiding looking at the former glaive who stood patiently next to him, providing comfortably silent company.

“You sure you’re alright?” Nyx murmured quietly.

Prompto fell still, allowing a sad smile to perch itself on his lips, his arms falling to his sides as he finally looked up to Nyx with watery eyes.

“I don’t know.” He whispered, his voice broken and feeble and Gods above it did not suit someone who deserved to be so happy. Someone who deserved to smile every single day they were alive. Someone who deserved to be surrounded by the people they loved. It hurt to see Prompto this upset.

“Do you…want to talk about?” He asked carefully, inwardly scolding himself for his uncertain tone.

“It’s just…it’s nothing really, I mean I just started trying but…the Scourge,” Prompto managed to get out, “it just feels like too much. I…this morning I tried suppressing it and it just overwhelmed me and…what if I can never suppress it? What if it’s too strong?”

He gulped down air, panicked at the lack of it, dropping his gaze to mumble to himself, lost and unsure of what exactly to look at.

“What if I’m not enough?”

Nyx froze, watching as the short blond began to shake and shudder, holding back tears as the overwhelming reality of what he’d said hit him. Nyx moved without thinking because fuck it, he had no time to think, Prompto needed some semblance of comfort, of reassurance. Something. He slowly wrapped his arms around the lithe blond, feeling him tense in his hold before collapsing against him, hands gripping at the front of Nyx’s shirt, desperately trying to latch on as he wailed into him.

“You’re enough Prompto, stuff like this it…it just takes time.” He tried to reassure him.

“I know,” Prompto sobbed, holding Nyx more tightly, squeezing his eyes shut as they began to overflow and burn. He could almost hear the Scourge cackling at him from the back of his mind. Time. This would take time. He knew that but…

“I just wish it didn’t have to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (If you noticed any little mistakes please let me know and I'll fix them up when I can!!!)


	31. Standstill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm back! Briefly. Ugh. Okay so I'm literally posting this in-between exams for me, I've had five out of my six exams already, I just have my French one left to complete and then I'm FREE!!! But yes, anyway, Insomnia Falls AU was calling to me from the fiery pits of Hell so I threw myself down to deliver a new chapter for all of you.
> 
> I'm so sorry this took so long to get out, I've honestly been struggling with getting into the characters again (not in the way that I don't like them anymore but the kind of way where I don't know how to write them anymore) so it took me a while to figure out again. I also feel like I haven't written in ages either so I'm not overly confident in how this chapter came out but I hope that those of you still reading will enjoy it.
> 
> I love you all and I hope you're all having a wonderful day/night!!

“Nothing like a good night’s sleep in a good bed.” Noct sighed, voice gravelly as he stretched his arms up above his head.

“Yup! So what are you gonna do today?” Iris asked, swinging her legs as she glued her bright eyes onto Noct approvingly. 

“Well, it would probably be best to _actually_ gather supplies today.” Ignis stated, voice tinged with a reproachful tone as Noct and Gladio’s exuberant moods dimmed with guilt.

“Sorry Iggy, I didn’t think the tour would go as long as it did.” Iris giggled awkwardly, tilting her head and donning an apologetic smile.

“It’s quite alright Iris,” Ignis threw her a soft smile, “it was a rather informative tour and thanks to that, I now know where to go to get our supplies.”

“Great! Should we head out now then?” Iris asked, looking back to Noct and her older brother for confirmation.

“Why not?” Noct sighed, following the excited young Amicitia out of the Leville lobby and into the morning sun.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto fidgeted with the hair tie as he tried not to tug on Luna’s hair too hard, pulling her blonde locks into a ponytail, managing to secure it somewhat haphazardly. He huffs happily when he’s done, he feels like he’s accomplished something…and then he realises it’s off-centre.

“Gods damn it.” He muttered.

“Off-centre again?” Luna asked, laugh lurking around the edges of her voice.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Oh no, it’s fine, take your time.” She reassured him, recomposing her posture and sitting perfectly still as he cautiously began to tug her hair around once more. There’s a brief and pleasant silence where the only sounds are Prompto’s stumbling, frustrated mumbling and the clatter of equipment being moved around and packed into the cars.

“Are you scared?”

The question was quiet and barely audible but it winded Prompto nonetheless.

“Scared?” He responded in an equally quiet voice, “Of what?”

“This. Everything that is happening. Are you afraid of...the outcome?”

Calloused fingers froze, their grip on her hair faltering, letting it slip out of his grasp. The outcome? His entire being shivered at the thought of it as he realised the goal all over again. The journey. It hit him harder than Luna’s question had. He knew that the Scourge was a burden that he was going to have to carry with him for the rest of his life, but the other stuff. The things happening around him. The Astrals, Luna…Noct.

If this was the prophecy Noct had told him back then, when they were seventeen and tired and Noct had started babbling to ease his existential plight. Back when Noct’s sole focus was his dad’s failing health and now…now he was forced to face everything in its terrifying entirety. This journey…the path to him becoming King…would he even survive it?

And Luna? Fighting to meet the Astrals, struggling to guide them to Noct’s side so he would be able to save everyone? Would _she_ live? Something bubbled up anxiously inside him, his fingers shaking under the weight of all his thoughts that spiralled out of control much to the distant glee of the Scourge.

He’d been silent for too long. He could sense Luna’s unease and he figured she could probably sense his own but…she deserved an answer.

“Yeah,” he answered honestly, “I’m terrified. I mean, my Scourge is bad enough but thinking about-about what will happen to Noct, to you, that…that’s worse.”

Luna hummed sadly, head drooping just a bit as he continued.

“Then there’s Nyx having to carry the Ring which is worrying just as it is without him having to use it, and Regis and Clarus, like are they going to be okay? And Cor and Gen? I just…”

“Prompto.” Luna whispered mournfully.

“It’s scary huh?” He laughed, “Not knowing.”

“Extremely.”

Prompto fumbled over something, anything, to say before giving up on the idea and silently resuming his hair-tying duties, focusing intently on the blonde locks in his hands. He mulled it over, using his own suspicions to drown out the choir chanting at the back of his mind, forcing himself to speak up.

“Are you?”

“Pardon?” Luna asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

“Are you uh, are you scared?”

The Oracle went rigid, her shoulders tense and Prompto paused his movements, looking at the back of her head, waiting. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked, maybe they weren’t as close as he thought and he should have just minded his own business-

“Yes.” Came the broken answer, “I…I always have been.”

_Because while she was not afraid of death, that did not mean she was not afraid of the death of others. Not afraid of losing everything around her. Even while she was not afraid of death itself, she still did not want to die. She wanted to live on with Ravus and Noctis and Prompto and the many others that meant so much to her._

“Well hey,” Prompto’s voice bubbled up in her ear, pulling her out of her riptide of negativity, “at least we can be scared together, right?”

Luna turned around, the loose ponytail Prompto had managed to tie slipping onto her shoulder delicately as blue looked into blue. She held his gaze for a quiet moment before smiling gratefully.

“Yes, we can.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Lestallum wasn’t a bad place. It was bustling with people and it also had its own little market that Ignis just about fell in love with as soon as he had the opportunity to actually inspect the produce more carefully without an Amicitia yanking on his arm. It was good to see him back in his natural element, he probably ended up missing the markets they had back home (the pain flared up in Noct’s heart at the thought of home). And Gladio! He’d been ecstatic about the cup noodle vendor when they stumbled across the van and its blatant advertising. Noct had only barely managed to avoid a philosophical rant about the integrity of the noodle and its versatility in meals.

Unfortunately, however, Ignis did not.

Noct and Iris snickered together as they watched Gladio excitedly talk Ignis’ ear off, the strategist barely holding back a frown of disdain as the young prince’s shield used grand hand gestures to display the ‘true glory’ of the ‘ultimate flavour experience’.

“Come on!” Iris giggled, snatching Noct’s hand and dragging him down a flight of steps, across a small car park and over to a weathered railing.

“Now this isn’t a bad view.” He commented, eyes trailing over the land before him, drinking in the greens and blues that bloomed in the sunlight.

“I know right?” Iris smiled brightly, bouncing next to him, “I’ve never seen anything like this before so it's pretty refreshing.”

“Refreshing?” Noct echoed sceptically.

“What? Gladio isn’t the _only_ Amicitia that reads!” She pouted theatrically. Noct chuckled softly and turned his gaze back to the landscape. It was true. It was a pretty refreshing picture, unlike anything he’d seen in Insomnia…guess the road trip was good for something after all.

“What a marvellous view.”

Noct and Iris turned around sharply, startled by the unfamiliar voice, to see some questionable clothing that the man wearing must be roasting in in this heat, a fedora and purple hair that could do with a wash. Iris stepped a little closer to Noct, a concerned furrow in her brow.

“My apologies, I did not mean to startle you so.” The man grinned, mouth pulling into an uncomfortable stretch that mirrored the familiar shape of a crescent moon. A smile that sparked Noct’s memories. The man. From the docks. No consequence.

“Ah,” Noct glanced from Iris to the man to where Gladio and Iggy were still debating cup noodles heatedly, “that’s…okay?”

“Good, now, correct me if I’m wrong, but would you happen to be the Prince of Lucis, Noctis Lucis Caelum?”

Noct’s eyes widened in alarm, “How did you-?!”

“Oh the how is hardly important my young prince,” the ‘man of no consequence’ purred, “what is more important would be the ‘why’.”

“Okay then,” Noctis breathed, trying to figure out the right and most appropriate thing to say, “what do you want and why?”

“Hmm, I want many things Prince Noctis, but for the time being, the one thing at the top of my list would be to help you.” He paused before finally breathing the last word, a smirk on his face that Noct didn’t understand as a calloused finger was pointed at his heart.

“And why would you wanna do that exactly?”

“Why, my Prince I’m shocked!” The man gasped, retracting his hand to place it over his heart, “I am simply being the good Samaritan this world deserves in such trying times. Please, take advantage of me and the service I provide, after all,” his eyes glinted, gaze turning steely, “I can get you in to see the Archaean.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi tapped his pen rapidly against the surface of his desk. He was bored. There was no Aranea to bicker with and no Ravus to torment either. Well, that wasn’t _entirely_ true, Ravus was still at the base just… _ugh_ he didn’t feel like talking. He was used to messing with Ravus but somehow, the last time they had… _interacted_ , it felt like he’d been out of line. _Somehow._

It wasn’t his fault. He had just been in a bad mood. Everything had gone horribly for him and he had just happened to take it out on Ravus. That wasn’t a big issue, it wasn’t like they were friends or anything. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence either, he usually snapped at Ravus when he was in a foul mood. 

But _still…_

Loqi groaned, dropped his pen and slammed his forehead against the desk’s surface, hoping the collision would be enough to wake him from this nightmare.

Alright, no, enough thinking of Ravus. Now was not the time to wallow in self-hatred over his actions, he had to focus on getting these shitty reports done so he would be back in the Emperor’s good books…so that he wouldn’t risk being decommissioned. He sat up and slapped his face, picking up his pen again and managing to write one word before throwing the pen down and unlocking his top desk draw hastily. 

He pulled out his phone and flicked it open, smirking as the number appeared on the screen.

_Cor Leonis._

Should he call?

It might be beneficial…to the Empire…somehow. He would figure it out. Plus, it was harmless. Just a little banter between enemies. That could hardly be frowned upon right? Hmm…no. If someone sniffed him out then he would be labelled a traitor. A spy. Then he would _definitely_ be decommissioned. 

He shook his head and shoved the phone back into its draw, locking it and turning back to his work. He wrote one sentence before pausing and glancing at his draw once more.

_Oh what the hell._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cor tensed at the sensation of his phone buzzing in his back pocket, glancing at Gentiana as she watched at him curiously, eyes closed and mouth pursed. He pulled out his phone and checked the caller ID; an unknown number.

“Your High-”

“Regis.” The former King cut over him from the passenger seat as he fiddled with the radio’s volume, frowning when Clarus swatted his hand away.

“ _Regis,_ ” Cor sighed, “I have an unknown number calling me.”

“Then answer it.” 

“Is that really wise?” Clarus grumbled.

“Oh hush.” Regis chided and looked out the window.

Cor sighed, glancing to Gentiana who kept her closed gaze trained on him before answering his phone.

“Hello?”

_“Well, well, if it isn’t Cor the Immortal! Still alive and kicking I se-”_

Cor hung up.

“That was quick.” Regis commented lightly, eyes flicking up to the rear-view mirror. Cor met his gaze, eyes steely and almost angrily concerned.

“We’ve been compromised.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi huffed angrily as he looked over his phone.

Well that was rude.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“So we’ve managed to secure a route to the Archaean.” Gladio stated, looking to Noct for confirmation.

“Yeah.”

“And we have all our supplies ready?”

“Of course.” Ignis nodded.

“And Iris is coming?” Gladio grimaced.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily!” His little sister cheered.

“Alright,” Gladio peeked outside of their group huddle to the purple-haired man leaning against the doorway to the Leville, “then why the hell is Mr. ‘man of no consequence’ coming along?”

“Because apparently,” Noct sighed, “he can get us into the Archaean.”

“Well isn’t that convenient,” Ignis hissed, “how exactly?”

“He said his name is Ardyn and that he would explain his plan to all of us,” Iris explained, “we told him we’d only agree once we all knew the details.”

“Well sure, I guess that was the smartest thing to do.” Gladio grumbled.

“Alright then,” Noct nodded, pulling back from the group huddle and stretching his arm, “let’s hear it.”

Ardyn perked up and turned to face the approaching group.

“Are you all done and ready to listen?” He smiled.

“If you would be so kind as to explain.” Ignis nodded courteously, directing the five of them to a small table set up outside where they sat down.

“Of course,” Ardyn grinned, “firstly, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Ardyn Izunia, Chancellor of the Nifleheim Army.”

“A Nif?” Noct’s eyes widened in alarm, glancing at Gladio whose frown had turned fierce.

“And one with the army at that.” The Shield growled.

“Oh come now, let’s drop the racism for the moment,” Ardyn sighed, “it does not matter where I came from but that I can use my status as leverage.”

“You can sneak us past the Nifleheim forts set up around the Archaean.” Ignis murmured, recalling the gossip he’d overhead earlier that day

“Precisely.”

“And why would the Empire let you do that?” Iris asked cautiously.

“Who said that the Empire had to know?” Ardyn answered with a cat-like grin, if the cat was sickly and possibly rabid.

Noct glanced around the table, trying to read some kind of answer on his friend's faces, or figure out how to respond to the situation appropriately. Hopelessness overwhelmed as he realised his own incompetence, he gaze falling miserably to the table’s surface. If Prompto were here he wouldn’t feel so alone in all this official talk, the pair of them had never really understood any of it after all. 

He glances to the space by his feet and wishes Umbra was there to lick his hand and smile his dopey, dog smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, if you see any mistakes please let me know and I'll just go and fix them up as soon as I can <3


	32. On Your Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya guys, it really has been a while, oh man. I'm really sorry about the massive, sporadic breaks I seem to be taking with this fic but it's actually been surprisingly tough trying to find the motivation to write these days. I think school took it out of me. Oh hey! Update on that, I have finished school and graduated! I got the score I needed from my exams to get into the uni course I want to do (a double bachelor of games and animation) and I have also been employed! Things are looking up!
> 
> Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter (especially if you're someone that has been reading since the beginning, I really appreciate the continued support).
> 
> I'll hopefully see you guys soon with a new chapter, but hey, until then! Have a nice day/night!

“Wait, hold up. You’re telling me Nifleheim has your phone number?” 

Cor glared at Nyx as the group stood huddled together in a circle by the boot of one of the regalias. Prompto and Luna having perched themselves on said boot with Pryna looking up at the pair of them with adoring eyes, tail wagging.

“This is serious.” The Immortal growled.

“We know it is Cor,” Regis assured him, “we just need more information.”

“Yeah, like how did the Empire even get your number?” Prompto asked, his legs swinging lazily in the air.

“That is a good question.” Clarus murmured, “Have you had a lot of contact with Nifleheim?”

“Only in battle, and even then it was brief.”

“Well what about that time at the Archaean?” Luna asked, “Could they have acquired it then?”

“That would explain why it was the same guy.” Cor hummed.

“Wait. It was the same guy? What was his name again?” Nyx asked the group, watching as Luna and Prompto hid amused smiles upon seeing the others all fall into equally embarrassed silences.

“No one remembers his name, do they?” The glaive reiterated, laughter bubbling in the back of his throat, which was quickly cut short by Cor’s frustrated glare.

“Well…we were in the middle of battle.” Regis tried to excuse himself, throwing a half-hearted glare at Prompto as the blond giggled lightly to himself.

“Moving on,” Clarus intervened, “what are we going to do?”

“Should we get rid of the phone?” Luna asked, turning to look at Gentiana who stood beside her, quiet and calculating as she observed the situation.

“No.”

“No?” Cor echoed in disbelief.

“No.” She repeated.

Prompto flicked his gaze between the two, eyes restless and uneasy.

“Okay,” he spoke up carefully, “then what should we do with the phone?”

“Keep it.”

“Fine, I’ll bite.” Nyx groaned, crossing his arms as a slight glare began to crease his brow, “Why?”

“Perhaps we can use this Nifleheim correspondent to our advantage.”

“You want to get information out of him?” Nyx asked incredulously.

“It could prove beneficial.” Gentiana reasoned with closed eyes, head angling down a little as Pryna bounced over to her side.

“So, we’re going to keep the phone, possibly be tracked by the Empire, somehow avoid battles, just on the off chance that we can learn more about their plans?” Cor frowned at the guide, siding with Nyx as he levelled a glare at her.

“Oh! I could do something about the tracking.” Prompto spoke up.

“You…you can?” Clarus blinked in surprise.

“Yeah! I did it with Noct’s phone way back when, that way Iggy couldn’t hunt him down when we went to the arcade.” The blond shrugged nonchalantly.

“Is that why he failed psychology?” Regis quirked an eyebrow.

“Oh no,” Prompto waved a hand dismissively, “that’s ‘cause he forgot what hypochondriasis is.”

“I see.”

“Sorry to uh, interrupt,” Nyx began cautiously, “but are we actually going to do this?”

“If Prompto can prevent Nifleheim from tracking us, then I don’t see why not. We just have to be careful about what we say.” Regis asserted to the group.

“So it’s settled?” Nyx verified, unfolding his arms as the old King nodded at him.

“It would seem so.” Gentiana announced, delicately brushing her hair away from her face as the breeze kicked up around them. Leaves rustling as Luna and Prompto hopped down from the boot of the car, the pair of them immediately being swarmed by the pure and constant affection of Pryna’s nuzzles. The group divided and made way to their respective cars.

“Where to next?” Nyx asked.

“We should focus on getting as close to the Fulgurian as possible.” Luna smiled, softening the orders she delivered. Gentiana nodded approvingly at her while everyone else nodded in agreement.

“Off we go then.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct fidgeted in the back seat as Ignis tailed Ardyn’s car up the winding dirt road towards the Archaean.

“I know we suggested this and all,” he spoke up, glancing to Iris in the front seat, “but is it too late to back out now?”

“Just a tad.” Ignis answered before taking a quick sip from his Ebony and turning around the bend swiftly.

“Would some music help ya calm down Noct?” Iris asked.

“Not really.”

“What if this is an ambush?” Gladio grumbled from behind his book.

“Did that only _just_ occur to you?” Ignis asked reproachfully, eyes flicking up to the rearview mirror where he met Gladio’s glare with a quirked eyebrow.

“Shut it Iggy.”

“Are we even prepared for an ambush?” Noct mumbled, a worried frown appearing as he chewed on his bottom lip.

“Stop that!” Iris reprimanded him, rolling up her magazine and reaching through to the back seat to swat him. Noct dodged and playfully stuck out his tongue, managing to reposition himself just out of reach.

“Ha!” He barked at her as she swung wildly, accidentally slapping Gladio's thigh in the process.

“Curse my adorably small limbs!” She cried, flopping miserably.

“Will you _please_ behave like the nobility you are?” Ignis sighed.

“Iggy’s right Iris,” Gladio smirked, “a true Amicitia wouldn’t give up so quickly.”

Iris sat up, eyes sparkling dangerously as she regarded her brother. A fire ignited in her mind and a wicked smile spread across her face.

“You’re absolutely right Gladdy.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Ardyn heard the screech of tyres behind him and cast his gaze up to his rearview mirror. His eyebrows lifted in startled surprise as he saw the young Amicitia (what was her name again?) standing in her seat with a rolled up magazine as her weapon. What kind of weapon? Why, one to apparently brutally beat the King of Lucis with to the rowdy cheers of her older brother and the King’s advisor's yelling as he both reprimanded and begged the young girl to sit down and put _‘her bloody seat-belt on or was she just that sodding suicidal’._

Ardyn looked away from the rearview mirror.

It would probably be for the best if he pretended he saw nothing.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

The trees and bushes zipped past his open window in blurred, colourful streaks accompanied by the rush of the wind running through his wilting, blond hair as he rested against the car door. Serene skies and no Niffs chasing after them today, it was just them and the open road. It should have been pure bliss, but unfortunately, the Scourge just didn't seem to get the memo.

Prompto squeezed his eyes shut as it tried to flood his senses and pull him back under. It’s like trying to swim against the riptide, or at least what he thinks it must be like swimming against the riptide, he’s never had the chance to go swimming before. Anyway, the Scourge was pulling and tugging at the underside of what felt like his skin, and it hurt. It hurt a lot. He squeezes his eyes shut more tightly, focusing on the little blobs of light that dance behind his eyelids. 

_Not today bitch,_ he thinks angrily. 

He tries to recall Gentiana’s training, however brief their last session had been. Remembering her soft voice and the cool touch of her fingertips on his forehead, he began to push the beast away. This Scourge wasn’t him and he wouldn’t let it be him. He was him. Wait…did that even make sense? An angry throb hit his temple and the Scourge retreated sourly.

_Yeah that’s right,_ Prompto thought wearily, _you better run._

“Prompto?”

He started in surprise, quickly shifting out of his slumped position against the door and into the back of his chair, meeting Nyx’s concerned gaze with misty blue eyes.

“Yeah?”

“You alright? You weren’t responding.” The glaive looked him over, trying to find any visible trace of what was wrong.

_Sorry Nyx, I’m only fucked up on the inside._

“Oh! Yeah, I’m fine, just a little tired. Sorry for worrying you.” Prompto apologised sheepishly.

Nyx frowned but let it go, turning away from the blond and looking back at the road. Prompto tilted his head in confusion. Hadn’t Nyx been talking to him? Was he done?

“Well, as long as you’re sure.” Luna spoke up, “Anyway, I was just wondering if you wanted to stop for a bit.”

Oh, it was Luna talking. Prompto looked through to the back seat.

“Stop?”

“Yes, I saw a sign just a bit back. It said something about a chocobo farm-”

_“CHOCOBOS?!”_ Prompto screeched excitedly, eyes lighting up as he swivelled around fully and gripped his seat. Nyx swerved over the road as the sound burst his ear drums.

“Um, yes?” Luna responded blankly, a stunned and somewhat worried smile glued to her face as her hand laid frozen in Pryna’s fur.

“I love Chocobos!!” Prompto squealed happily.

“Oh really.” Nyx deadpanned, “We wouldn't have guessed.”

Prompto threw him a weak glare that the glaive snorted at before the blond turned back to Luna.

“Have you ever seen a chocobo before Luna?”

“Yes, but only when I was very little. They were a gift to my mother on her birthday.” Luna smiled.

“Are they really as soft as everyone says they are?”

“It depends on how often they’re cleaned.”

“Do they dance? I heard they can dance!”

“Yes, they can dance.”

“So are we going to stop by the farm? Can we Nyx? Can we can we can we can w-”

“Holy Eos above Prompto,” Nyx laughed, “calm down.”

“Never!”

Luna laughed to herself in the backseat as Prompto and Nyx bickered back and forth playfully. Pryna perked up next to her and licked her face, eliciting more giggles from the young Oracle as she wrapped her arms around her canine companion.

“Alright,” Nyx grinned, “one chocobo farm coming right up.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Loqi paced back and forth in front of the phone that sat neatly on his desk, perfectly centred amongst the mess of pens and papers around it (he should really finish all that paperwork at some point).

Should he call again? Or should he wait until later, after his meeting with the other officers? Would there be less risk then? Probably. If he waited then that would eradicate the off chance that someone would walk into his office to take him to the meeting, catching him in the act of his betrayal.

Well screw waiting.

Loqi snatched the phone and opened it up, electing to not analyse the feelings that encouraged him to do so…especially after the last time he called them (how dare they hang up on him?!). He was inputting the number hastily when the door to his office opened.

“What is it _now?!_ ” He hissed, standing rigid behind his desk, phone held tightly in his hand and he inwardly cringed as he noticed it was Ravus. _Again._

“Tummelt.” The High Commander greeted him curtly with a brisk nod, choosing to linger in the doorway rather then enter Loqi’s office.

“Fleuret.” Loqi nodded back, for once feeling short on words as silence fell over them. Ahhh, this was awkward, _Shiva freeze me now-_

“You’ve been rather…inactive as of late.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve been doing my fucking job.” Loqi bit out with a glare in Ravus’ direction.

“No, I-” Ravus sighed, “you’re late to the meeting.”

Loqi watched, confused, as Ravus turned on his heel and left the room, not once having met the Brigadier General’s eyes. He glanced to the clock on the phone in his hand. 

The meeting didn’t start for another ten minutes.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct lifted himself up in his seat as he noticed Ardyn’s car pull to a stop in front of the gate.

“What’s he doing?” He mumbled to the others, squinting his eyes as he watched the older man step out of his car.

“Perhaps he must provide proof of identification to pass.” Ignis suggested.

“Maybe.” Iris hummed.

Ignis pulled up behind Ardyn and turned off the engine. Noct opened his door and clomped his way out of the car, Iris coming up alongside him quickly with her little, light footfalls, leaving Ignis and Gladio to wipe their brows under the heat and follow them. The Chancellor bowed with a dramatic sweep of his hat before gesturing grandly to the massive gate that stood between Noct and apparent destiny.

“We have arrived,” Ardyn declared, “beyond this gate lies the Archaean in all His mountainous glory.”

“Uh huh, so how do we get through?” Gladio asked gruffly.

“Oh, I will open the gate for you in a moment but I thought it best to warn you.”

“Warn us?” Iris echoed.

“Yes, it is rather unfortunate but you must travel by foot instead of wheel from this point onwards.” Ardyn informed them, “The terrain is a touch rocky and I fear that your car would not be able to handle it.”

“Told ya we should’ve gotten that upgrade.” Gladio muttered bitterly, pretending not to see Ignis’ flat and dagger-sharp glare.

“I must also encourage you to take as much water with you as you can. The landscape is hot and volcanic, as is true of the Archaean’s personality.” Ardyn quipped.

“Oh?” Noct gulped uneasily, the weight of his job before him suddenly slamming him in the chest like a ton of bricks.

“Oh yes, He is quite the sourpuss.”

“So you’re not coming along then?” Iris asked.

“I’m afraid not my dear, you see,” Ardyn smiled at her, “I haven’t really dressed for the climate. However, you need not fret! I will be able to open the gate for you and send you on your merry way.”

“Fantastic.” Gladio stated, sarcasm dripping from his tone in waves that Ardyn elected to ignore.

The chancellor turned to an MT unit and muttered something into its electronic ear before, moments later, the towering gate opened with a shudder. Rocks and uneven ground were revealed to them and Ignis reluctantly ascertained that yes, they could not bring the regalia. 

“Well now,” Ardyn turned to them with gleaming eyes, “you best be on your way.”

“Yeah.” Noct grumbled, taking off his jacket and throwing it into the regalia before moving through the gate with only slightly wobbly steps, doing his damnedest to keep his chin up and walk tall.

“Good luck!” The Chancellor called out in an airy tone as the rest of the group followed cautiously, and once they were clear, the gate closed behind them.

“Oh yeah,” Gladio hissed, “this isn’t a trap at _all._ ”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! And hey, if you see any mistakes (like spelling or grammatical errors) then please let me know!


	33. You and Me and Destiny makes Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Iris

“This is like a fever dream.” Nyx commented as he leaned against the pen’s railing, watching Prompto’s face disappear into the bundle of dancing, prancing feathers that squawked happily at the attention. Luna laughed brightly as she crouched down by an elder chocobo that examined her with keen eyes, trying to locate her hidden treats. Pryna panted excitedly next to Nyx and the glaive nudged the dog with a warning shake of his head. Chocobos were not sticks to fetch.

Regis chuckled merrily from where he stood slouched, withered hand moving tenderly through soft feathers as Clarus stood next to him, making sure he didn’t topple over under his own exhaustion. Cor stood back from the group, by a small plastic table surrounded by plastic chairs made sticky by the humidity. However, that didn’t deter Gentiana, who sat perfectly poised on one chair with a cool glass of blue heaven milkshake nestled in her hands.

“Oh my Gods.” Prompto moaned happily, pulling his face free from the feathers, a few having come loose and finding a new home in his blond hair.

“Having fun there?” Nyx snorted, watching as Prompto staggered over to him, seemingly high on his positivity.

“Oh my Gods.” Prompto repeated in response, flopping over the railing to Nyx’s warm chuckle.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yeah Nyx, I sure am’.”

_“Oh my Gods,”_ Prompto kicked his feet against the ground giddily, “Nyx they’re so _soft_ and I could just die right here and now, I’m so at peace.”

“Please don’t.”

“You can’t stop me.”

“I can and I will.”

Prompto groaned against the railing before lifting himself, and his hands, up in defeat.

“Fine, you win,” the blond surrendered, “I won’t die… _today!_ ”

“No, I believe the correct answer is that you won’t die ever.” Luna corrected him as she appeared next to him, all treats having vanished from her persons.

“That’s…a little scary Luna, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

“I can talk with Ramuh and figure something out.” She offered.

“Please no.” Prompto pleaded but the Oracle simply smiled and walked out of the pen.

“Oh no, Nyx, she didn’t answer, what does that mean? I am actually going to die one day, right? Because if I end up being immortal-ah. No offense Cor.”

“None taken and I’m not actually-”

“But I don’t really want to be immortal. No thank you!” Prompto continued with a shake of his head, cutting over Cor who sighed to himself and ordered a coffee from Wiz.

“Oh? How come?” Nyx asked.

“Living forever while everyone I know dies? I don’t really need depression thanks.” The blond quipped.

“Fair point.” The glaive commented, the words slipping under his breath as his eyes were distracted by the feathers in Prompto’s hair and, unable to restrain himself, he reached out and plucked one free.

“Looks like they’ve accepted you as one of their own.” He joked. Puzzled by the silence that followed, he looked down at a flushed face and nervous blue eyes that flitted all over Nyx’s face. Suddenly very aware of how his hand was practically cupping Prompto’s head, and almost his cheek, he retracted the offending appendage sharply. His confusion allowed the blond some time to slip away as the glaive was left to stare at the empty space where he had been.

Finally, Nyx came back to himself, eyes blinking rapidly to cure their dryness as he turned and was met with an unimpressed glare on Cor’s face. Nyx looked down at the ground and desperately wished his heart wasn’t beating as fast as it was.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“It’s so freaking hot.” Noct groaned as he leaned up against the rocky wall, trapping them on the seemingly eternal and torturous path towards the Archaean. 

“This has to be Hell.” Iris whined, “Gladdy, this is Hell right?”

“If only.” Came the grumble from somewhere behind Noct. Iris whined loudly and slumped down onto the floor as Ignis began to dispense water bottles around. 

Noct trained his gaze downwards and wondered if he could just stop here. The Archaean. It was scary enough having to meet a God, but having to ask for the God’s power and fight in a battle to save the world lest everyone in it die? Having to do this, becoming King? Suddenly, air had never felt so suffocating.

“Noct?” He threw his gaze to his left and stared at the water bottle offered to him.

“Thanks Iggy.” He mumbled, taking the bottle slowly and taking a refreshing sip of water. He kept his gaze away from the others, refusing to meet the brown eyes burning holes into the back of his head.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cor started as he felt his phone buzz to life, mere seconds after he switched it on. He glanced at Prompto who had noticed the loud vibrations himself and gave the Immortal a thumbs up, keeping his other hand in chocobo feathers. He turned to where he could see the others in the distance, ordering drinks from the stand Wiz had set up before glancing once more at Prompto, then Gentiana.

The guide attempted a reassuring nod.

Here goes nothing.

“Hello?”

_“Are we going to be civil this time, or will you hang up again you cretin?”_

“You must be…” Fuck, he could not remember this guy’s name for the life of him.

A crackling sigh came through the phone, _“Loqi. Loqi Fucking Tummelt and yes, that is my middle name.”_

“Good to know. What do you want?”

_“Oh my, how forward Mr Imm-or-tal~!”_ Cor frowned and began to rub at his temple, willing the oncoming headache away, _“But I do like a man who can take charge.”_

“Good for you.”

_“No, actually, they seem to be in short supply around these parts. Well, there is one candidate but he doesn’t seem to take a hint, a bit dense that one.”_

“What do you want Loqi.” Cor deadpanned, his tone attracting Prompto to his side where the blond tried to listen in.

_“Well a good fuck would be nice.”_

“Good bye Loqi.”

_“Fine, fine. I don’t know why I’m calling to be perfectly honest.”_

“Then I’m hanging up.”

“Wh-! No, Cor! Hand me the phone!” Prompto argued, snatching the phone away before Cor could even object and pressing Loqi’s complaints to his ear.

_“-you dare hang up on me?! I am Loqi Tummelt! I am-!”_

“Loqi! Loqi! Chill!”

_“Who the bloody hell are you?”_

“Prompto, the uh…MT.” He admitted in a hushed voice.

_“Ah, that one. I was meant to capture you, ya know? And kill that old bugger of a King too. You lot put me in a lot of shit with the Emperor I’ll have you know.”_

“…sorry?” Prompto tried, shrugging awkwardly at Cor who glared at him disapprovingly.

_“Meh, no harm done…for the time being.”_

“I suppose you’re not just going to tell me why the Empire’s trying to capture me are you? I mean I understand killing the King, but why would Nifleheim want a rogue uh…Mt unit?” Prompto pondered quietly to himself.

_“You...you do realise how powerful you are?”_

“Well…I was meant to be a general right?”

_“Bingo! See, you do know something after all. Anyway, your 'power' or what not caught the eye of the Emperor and old man Besithia.”_

Prompto’s blood ran cold, “How?”

_“How?”_ Loqi laughed, _“Well kid, next time you decide to run over a general of the Nifleheim army, you better make sure they’re actually dead.”_

“Glauca?!” The whole group started at the sound of the general that had tried to take Regis’ head, all eyes turning on Prompto.

_“Yup. The very one. He reported on the anomaly that was your ability and Besithia recognised it. You’re an old power kid, and they want you back. Fast.”_

“Why are you telling me this?” Prompto whispered.

Silence was the only thing that came through the other end before the call ended. The blond pulled the phone away and handed it to Cor with shaky hands.

“Prompto?” Luna began in a hush, “What’s wrong?”

But Prompto could barely hear her over the loud, gleeful chants echoing in his head and the scrape of metal on metal, the prick of needle on skin, the snap of clipboard on bed.

_Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad-_

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct dove out of the way of the collapsing rocks, scraping his arms and legs on the uneven terrain as cries of alarm sounded around him. When everything fell silent and the dust cleared, he twisted around and cursed at the wall of unstable ruin blocking him off from the path they’d come from.

Wait, they? Was everyone here?

He looked around and cursed as he noticed it was only him and Iris, the latter still lying down on the ground, holding her head with shaking hands.

“Shit!” Noct turned back to the rocks, “Gladio! Ignis! You guys okay?”

“We’re fine Noct!” Came the familiar clip of Ignis’ voice, “What about you?”

“I’m fine but I think Iris got hurt.” At that Noct made his way over to Iris to check, kneeling down and gingerly pulling one of her hands away from her head. Iris looked up at him with her left eye, her right eye shut tight as blood poured over it from the offending and painful gash carved through her forehead.

“Is she okay?” Gladio called back, his voice cracking slightly in a way that Ignis and Noct both knew not to point out.

“She’ll be fine, she just needs a potion.” Noct responded, pulling a potion out from his back pocket. It was only a small one but it would be enough. He cracked it open and watched the magic flow like water, dancing through the air into Iris’ wound. The light dissipated and she groaned, a thankful albeit pained smile appearing on her face.

“Better?” He asked.

“Definitely.” She mumbled, sitting up and cradling her head briefly.

“Are you good to keep going?” Ignis asked.

“Yeah, we should be fine, right?” Noct turned to Iris.

“Of course! You can’t stop an Amicitia!” She grinned, flexing enthusiastically. Noct snorted and stood up, carefully helping Iris to her feet.

“Alright, you two be careful and we’ll meet you at the Archaean.” Gladio decided.

“Okay!”

“You guys be careful too!” Noct called back and after brief reassurances Ignis and Gladio walked off. He turned to Iris who was tenderly poking at where the gash was healing.

“Hey,” Noct scolded her, “stop that. Don’t poke it.”

“Fine _Mum._ ” Iris groaned playfully, dodging Noct’s halfhearted slap and skipping on ahead of him.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Regis staggered into the small alcove of a bedroom that Prompto was laying in, legs tangled up the fluffy blankets and ancient sheets, arm flung over one of the spare pillows. Regis smiled softly and sat down in the wicker chair by the head of the bed, casting a careful glance upon Prompto’s pained but sleeping face before allowing his gaze to drift up and out to the sudden downpour that had fallen through the muggy air.

His smile fell as he recalled pained hands cradling an aching head, blue eyes flashing and words falling silently from mumbling lips. He clasped his hands together and turned his gaze down to their fumbled fidgeting.

“You try so very hard to be okay, don’t you?” He asked the sleeping figure, “Always so bright.”

Nothing but the almost silent sound of breathing graced his aging ears.

“You can tell us Prompto,” Regis whispered quietly, “you can rely on us. After all, it is just a tad unfair that we rely on you even if you refuse to take advantage of us and our kindness in turn.” 

He chuckled lightly to himself and lifted his gaze to look at limp blond hair and freckles-

_Hands flew up to his head, pain and agony flitting about on his face and his eyes flashing all over the place as they changed hue rampantly. Collapsing, knees slamming into the ground, a scream caught somewhere in his chest and frantic, nonsensical mumbling falling from numb lips._

_Regis had stumbled over, weathered hand on Prompto’s shoulder and worried eyes trying to establish contact with the blond’s own but they were moving too fast, chasing nightmares that were running wild in his head._

_He had followed Cor as the Immortal helped Prompto inside Wiz’s small cabin, and it had been only him and Cor that had heard that weak and broken mumble. The only one that had made unfortunate sense to them._

_“Dad…”_

_A mournful, soul-shattering tone accompanied with fearful eyes had cemented Cor to the seat by Prompto’s bed with Luna holding the boy’s hand, trying her best to heal anything she could. But this, this pain, ran far deeper than any visible gash or bruise._

Regis blinked slowly before leaning back and settling into the wicker chair, pulling the itchy blanket hung over its arm over his lap and slowly closing his eyes.

“I think you have the right idea,” he yawned, “a nice nap should wash this tide away.”

Regis fell comfortably still, the little drips and drops of the showers outside lulling him into a peaceful sleep next to Prompto whose pained frown slowly and quietly eased up. A hushed, but happy, mumble tumbling from his lips as he flopped over onto his stomach, small black rivers trailing from the corners of his eyes and staining the pillow beneath his head. He slept on.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Iris pouted as she watched Noct climb ahead of her, stumbling over rocks with a hand out against the mountainous walls that surrounded them to steady himself. She squinted and tilted her head. Like this, it looked like his hair was actually just a crow’s nest...or maybe some kind of fur shawl, no not fur, it was fluffy enough to be fur. Nonetheless, when she unfocused her eyes, he looked just as he had before.

Frightened.

Unsure.

She wondered what Gladdy would do. Probably try to beat some sense into Noct, try to get him to see the bigger picture at hand here instead of just his own insecurities and doubts. Tough love may work but she wasn’t willing to risk it unless proven that it was her only way. Iris nodded to herself and spoke up.

“Hey Noct?”

“Yeah?” Was the grunt that came back to her.

“Are you okay?”

The young King froze, head angled downwards, hesitating slightly before turning around to face her. He tried to appear nonchalant, crossing his arms with a bored expression on his face but Iris could see the antsy fidget of his feet.

“I’m fine.”

“Oh really? Because last time I checked,” Iris grunted, traversing up the stones and clay to reach the ledge Noct had found, “meeting a God was pretty scary.”

He didn’t respond, instead tilting his head away so he wouldn’t have to look at her. Iris pursed her lips, childish and petulant frown on her face, she reached out and punched his shoulder.

“Hey!”

“Admit it! It’s scary, isn’t it?” She demanded.

“It doesn’t matter if it is or not,” Noct snapped, “I still have to do it.”

“Yeah, you do. We’re all counting on you for this Noct.” He flinched away from her.

Ah. That was it.

“Noct,” she began, making her voice as gentle as she could, “are you scared of all this?”

“By all this, do you mean my destiny and apparent fate to fight something I don’t know by winning over the Gods and receiving their help?” He spat out bitterly.

“Are you also scared of everyone depending on you?”

“No, I mean, it’s just,” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair while resting the other on his hip, “it’s just a lot of pressure, okay? Everyone looks at me and sees a King, someone who can…I don’t know, save them? Lead them?”

“And what do you see?” Iris asked, prompted to explain further when confused, dark eyes landed on her, “When you see yourself? What do you see?”

“…I don’t know.” He admitted, “I don’t know what I see but I just-I know it’s not whatever they see.”

“But you know you have to do this-”

“Yes Iris,” He exhaled harshly, “I know, alright?”

“I know you know.” She stated, “I know you know and that you’re trying even though you’re so confused. Noct, don’t you get it? That’s what they see. That’s what we all see. We see you, trying your hardest even if you don’t know a single damn thing. And hey,” she reached out and punched him lightly in the shoulder again, “I don’t think I ever said that you had to do this alone.”

“Wh-But…I, I can’t just-”

“Noct, I know everyone expects you to do this, but I doubt they expect you to do this all by yourself. You have Iggy, Gladdy, myself,Prompto, Lady Lunafreya, and your Dad too.” Iris smiled warmly at him, “Everyone’s gotta chip in a little right?”

Noct nodded numbly.

“And hey, you go deal with those pesky Gods of yours but when push comes to shove and the fight starts, we’ll be there for you. Okay?”

Noct scoffed, “Think you could be there for the whole ‘meet-and-greet’ with Titan?”

“Sure,” Iris shrugged, “why not?”

“Wh-Seriously?” Noct breathed incredulously, eyes wide as his arms fell to his sides, watching Iris move past him and continue along the path ahead.

“Of course! But whatever trial He’s got planned, you have to do that yourself…but that’s a given right?” She tilted her head quizzically and Noct laughed, bounding up to her side with a lively smile on his face.

“Yeah,” He paused and the smile fell from his face, the atmosphere shifting as he met her eyes, “thanks Iris.”

Staring back into those dark blue eyes, her heart fluttering slightly at the concentrated attention, Iris shook herself free of old, lingering feelings and smiled brightly at her friend.

“No problem!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I LOVE IRIS_


	34. Trials and Tribulations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so very dead and I'm so very sorry about that. You know when motivation and creative energy just vanishes? In a cloud of smoke? Yeah, for the past 30 fucking days. I'm not even sure if I've found my mojo again but I wanted to get something out before I head off to university (slightly scared and a little excited). I hope you all enjoy and I'm very sorry about the delay.

“You reckon he’ll be okay?” Nyx asked Luna as the pair awkwardly passed the time sitting in silence in Wiz’s lounge room. The Oracle sat perfectly poised on the musty old couch, finger fidgeting quietly as Nyx sat next to her, worry erasing any sense of respect for Wiz’s furniture as he propped his feet up on the coffee table.

“Of course,” Luna nodded, “he has to be.”

“Yeah, well,” Nyx coughed, “when will that happen?”

“Soon.” Luna assured him.

Nyx said nothing and instead turned his frown to the door that hid Prompto and Regis. Luna continued fidgeting absently with the hem of her shirt, gaze pointed downwards as searched through her scattered mind for some way to help Prompto. Talking about it might help but…she didn’t want to press him for information if he himself wasn’t comfortable with it. 

This would take some time, but that was okay. Luna nodded to herself again, ignoring the small questioning glance Nyx threw her, Prompto deserved some time.

A swift hand slapped the back of Nyx’s head, causing the two on the couch to falter and turn back to the offender, alarmed. 

“Get your weapons.” Cor huffed before turning on his heel and marching out of the room.

“Uh, okay?” Nyx called back, rubbing the back of his head as he stood up and summoned his kukris. Luna silently followed suit, calling forth her trident and holding it unsteadily in her arms.

“Is it Niflheim?” She asked Nyx tentatively.

“Can’t be,” The glaive denied as the pair stepped outside into the humid air, “they’re louder than this.”

The blonde nodded and readjusted her grip on the trident, looking to Cor, Clarus, Gentiana and Wiz who stood huddled together, Pryna lying down on the ground with her tail slowly wagging patiently.

“What seems to be the problem?” Nyx asked gruffly as the two of them walked up to the small group.

“We’re going on a hunt.” Cor stated bluntly, silently throwing a question to Clarus with his eyes, the King’s Shield nodding in response before turning to Luna and Nyx.

“Wiz has been having some trouble with daemons,” he explained, “you’re going to take care of them.”

“Is this really the time to be hunting?” Luna asked pointedly.

“We either sit around here, biding our time and cleaning our feathers, or we help out.” Clarus frowned.

“And what about Prompto and Regis?” Nyx asked.

“Clarus is staying behind with them,” Gentiana interrupted softly, porcelain mask cracking as a small smile poked through and her eyes fluttered open, “the rest of us will be hunting.”

“Sure,” Nyx grumbled, “because splitting up is always a great idea.” Luna elbowed him sharply in the side.

“We’ll leave Pryna with you too.” She smiled, laughing lightly as the mentioned canine companion whined sadly from down next to her. She crouched down and scratched Pryna behind the ear.

“I know, but it’s too dangerous. Sorry sweetie.”

Cor sighed and threw Nyx an unreadable look that the glaive hesitantly shrugged at before the Immortal turned away, katana in hand.

“Let's mosey.” 

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct stumbled to a halt, turning and wearily collapsing on the dusty ground, Iris quickly following suit and tumbling down across from him. Noct grimaced as he felt sweat slip down his back, his shirt sticking to his skin and suffocating him. He grabbed the front of his shirt and flapped it half-heartedly.

“Gods, why is it so hot?” He groaned. Iris sighed and flopped backwards, lying down across the dirt that stuck to her skin and coated her clothes.

“I don’t know,” she panted, “reckon you can fix it?”

“I don’t think…being King…lets me change the weather.” Noct grumbled slowly, desperately shovelling the air into his lungs.

“Ugh, what use are you?” Iris teased wearily.

“Don’t blame me,” the young King snapped without any real bite, “blame Titan, or whatever.”

“Sure, yeah,” Iris huffed, “let’s blame God.”

“Deal.” Noct nodded, strands of hair soggy with sweat flopping against his face as he laid back on the ground next to Iris.

For a moment, all he could hear was the sounds of the wind whistling down the rocky path, the high, rough walls surrounding them bouncing the noise around as it filtered across them. He could hear scuttling and the soft tumbling of stones on the ground, and Iris breathing next to him. 

“Do you think Ignis and Gladdy are okay?” Iris asked quietly, interrupting his thoughts.

Noct’s eyes widened at the sudden question before a frown settled over his brow, “Yeah, they’re pretty strong.”

“Yeah,” Iris hummed, “probably haven’t even broken a sweat.”

“Bet’cha Iggy’s come up with like, twelve new recipes.”

“I meet your bet and I raise you to twenty-four.”

“What are the stakes?”

“Uhhhh,” Iris pouted, “your shoes?”

“For your…” Noct frowned, “what have you got?”

“I have a moogle plushie.”

“Done, that’s your bet.”

“Sweet.” Iris hummed.

Noct tucked his hands under his head, watching the sky roll by and trying to ignore the fact that the Iggy in his head was screaming at him to get up and get moving. Ah, the Archaean. Right. Okay.

“We should get moving.”

“Agreed.” Iris sighed, sitting up slowly and sticking her tongue out as the dirt and grime followed her. Noct slowly rolled over and lifted himself up on his elbow, squinting as he tried to somehow look through the rock and see how much further they had to go.

“Uh, Noct? Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Iris started hesitantly.

“You talking about the rocks? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure that’s all I’ve been seeing for the past hour.” Noct whined.

The young Amicitia puffed up her cheeks and grabbed his chin, lifting his gaze upwards to the giant, mechanical containers hovering in the sky, doors opening and tin soldiers jumping out.

“Well shit.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Cor sliced through another voretooth and scanned the battlefield. Another bout of lightning from Nyx and a burst of light from Lunafreya. He glanced beside him and watched as Gentiana tapped on a daemon’s forehead, freezing it instantly.

Drawing his sword again, he faced off another daemon, and another. This would be easier if they had Prompto here, with his long-ranged abilities, he’d be picking these daemons off one at a time. Cor frowned and stabbed another voretooth.

The kid had a lot of baggage, a lot of trauma, and Cor knew that. Given his background as a lab rat, it was understandable for him to have some issues. Cor just wished he knew how to help more. For what must be the first time in a long time, he felt utterly useless. 

He knew trauma, had seen his fair share of it on the front lines and in the aftermath of war, but he’d never been able to talk about it. Hadn’t ever held a conversation about how to deal with it, he just…did. So where the hell was he supposed to start with Prompto? Could he even help at all?

Sighing, he cleaved through the last voretooth much to the relief of Luna.

“That’s the last of them.” He confirmed for her.

She nodded wearily and slumped down on the ground, trident steadying her fall. Cor felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to meet Gentiana’s closed stare, leaving Luna to catch her breath and throw Nyx a tired smile as he walked over to her.

“Are you alright?” Gentiana asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Cor kept his face passive as he regarded her cool and calm demeanour, those somehow all-seeing eyes softly shut.

“Fine.” He answered shortly, appreciating the understanding nod she gave him before walking around him to Luna. He watched her talk with her Lady and wondered if maybe he could learn something from her. She was careful and polite with her words and could easily talk with Prompto about his issues…everything that Cor wasn’t. 

Cor sheathed his katana and turned back to camp. He’d have to consider any discussion with Prompto later and rethink his sudden envy of easy conversationalists, there were probably more daemons to hunt back around the chocobo farm.

_…probably._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“I knew this was a trap!” Gladio barked as he fought off another MT.

“Oh do shut up, Gladio!” Ignis snapped, flicking his daggers at some exposed necks before calling forth his lance and leaping forth into battle.

“You think that other ship is where Noct and Iris are?” Gladio asked over the scream of his sword tearing through metal.

“Most likely.” Ignis answered grimly, finding himself pushed back to back with Gladio as the remaining MTs gathered around them.

“Guess we better get a move on then.” Gladio huffed, bringing out his shield and slamming it down on the ground with an echoing throb of metallic noise through the air that pulsed in Ignis’ ears.

“Sounds like a plan.” The strategist agreed, narrowing his eyes and striking the enemy as quickly and precisely as he could.

If they were dealing with these many MT units, then how were Noct and Iris faring?

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“WHY ARE THERE SO MANY?!” Noct yelled as he kicked an MT off him and slammed its head against the ground, the screech of metal on rock filling his ears barely enough to distract him from the next approaching enemy.

“STOP SHOUTING!! START KILLING!” Iris barked, catapulting over a unit and snapping its neck, oil squirting out and onto her face, in her eye. She stumbled backwards into another unit and cried in alarm as she blindly tried to fend off its attacks.

Noct warped over behind Iris quickly, blocking the blows for her as she kept wiping the offending liquid out of her eyes and off her face. She blinked her way back to the battle around her, looking past the twinkling pieces of blue light that dissipated in the hot breeze and tackling an MT down to the ground. Wrapping her dirtied hands around its neck she snapped it quickly, climbing off with only the lingering thought of how strangely fleshy and warm its neck had been.

“We’ve gotta move through them!” She yelled to Noctis who glanced at her before checking the path ahead. 

The young King nodded at her, cutting down the MTs around him with a frustrated yell, leaping over their fallen but still functional bodies towards Iris. He wrapped an arm around her waist and readied his engine blade.

“I’ve never done this before, so hold on!” He yelled in her ear. She wrapped her arms around him quickly, burying her face in his neck and desperately trying to swallow her fear.

Noct threw his blade and the world vanished in a haze of blue. Everything was blue and is blue and that’s all Iris can really register until she’s slammed against a rock wall, yelping at the pain as Noctis groaned.

“We’re gonna have to go again.” He warned, glancing back to see the MTs pick themselves up down where Noct and Iris had been. Their red eyes scanned the area before spotting their targets up ahead and charging towards them, guns ready.

“Just make it quick.” Iris murmured her stomach flipping and fluttering uneasily.

Noct nodded, black hair brushing against her forehead and then everything disappeared again and Iris really wanted nothing more than to throw up without the mortifying repercussions of doing so all over Noctis.

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto sat up in the quiet little room, fingers curling in the blankets that covered him as rain dripped softly outside his window, layering the ground in puddles and transforming the dirt he’d seen that afternoon into mud.

He’d dreamt that he’d been back ‘home’. On the slab reserved especially for him, or well…things like him. 

His ‘brothers and sisters’, his ‘mothers’, he’d dreamt he was back with them, surrounded by their empty shells as he sat in his empty cell.

He’d dreamt he was being watched again; observed, _tested._

Prompto glared at the open window next to him, sitting up and shutting it, pulling the blinds closed so nothing could look in.

“You’re awake.”

He jumped at the familiar voice, whipping around to see Gentiana slip into his room and close the door with a soft thud.

“Everyone is eating at the moment,” she explained as she glided over to the empty chair beside Prompto’s bed, “would you like me to fetch you some food as well?”

“Uh,” his mouth felt strange and numb and the idea of food had his stomach turning in ways he didn’t like, “no thanks.”

“I see.” Gentiana murmured, perching herself on the edge of the wicker chair.

She sat and watched him with closed eyes, silent and staring as Prompto filled the empty air around them with his inward rambling and the fidgeting of his fingers in his lap.

“How do you feel?” She asked.

“Me?” Prompto mumbled, “I uh, I guess I could be better.”

“Is there anything I could do to help you?” Gentiana inquired, eyes cracking open as the blond fidgeted uncomfortably.

“Um, uh,” He fumbled, “I…I guess?”

“What do you need?” She murmured quietly, the rain lightening to a drizzle that filled the background surrounding them with a warm, tentative fuzz. 

Prompto squirmed under her gaze, deciding to point his own downwards and away from her, as if he were asking the blankets for help instead of her.

“I uh, can…can I have a hug?” Came the broken whisper from the broken boy.

Gentiana froze where she sat, hands folded perfectly in her lap, her porcelain face fracturing and faltering as her eyes widened. Prompto glanced over at her stunned face and misread it, immediately apologising and stumbling over excuses that were quickly silenced as she stood and then sat down on the bed beside him. 

He didn’t even bother to argue or laugh off the whole thing as some sad excuse of a joke, instead her leaned into her, letting her wrap her slender arms around and pull him close, her straight black hair slipping across his shoulder and cascading in thin tendrils down his back as she rested her head next to his. He slowly lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, hesitantly burying his face into her neck.

Gentiana sat still, holding him securely as he shook and slowly collapsed into sobs against her.

“Is this helping you feel better?” She asked in a lull between tears.

Prompto let out a sad, wet laugh against her, his grip tightening hesitantly.

“Almost.”

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Loqi stalked out of the meeting , phone heavy in his pocket with each step he took. He shouldn’t have called, he should never have even kept the number for himself. He should have just handed it over to the Emperor instead of messing around and dancing on thin ice. But noooooo, he just had to have his fun, didn’t he? 

And worse! He couldn’t stop thinking about it either! He couldn’t stop wondering if he should have said more to that broken MT ( _Prompto, he said his name was Prompto_ ), should have warned him since he seemed pretty upset as soon as Loqi mentioned Glauca and Besithia. Maybe he should call back…

No. 

It was too risky.

Twice in the same day? Someone would definitely cotton onto that.

“Tummelt.”

 _Speaking of surprisingly observant jerks_ , Loqi turned slightly to watch out of the corner of his eye as Ravus came up beside him.

“Fleuret,” he chirped, “to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”

Ravus came to a stop next to the short blond and frowned at him, silent for a second as he sorted through the thoughts in his mind before speaking.

“We need to talk.”

“Oh?” Loqi hummed, eyebrow quirking as Ravus glanced around them before sighing, his posture drooping slightly and a more…a more what? What was that expression on his face? A soft frown? _What?_ Was that _concern?_

“Firstly, I must apologise for not asking after your mission when you came back.” Ravus curtly stated, the emotion disappearing off his face as he took Loqi by the arm and led him down the corridor, away from the sudden appearance of a group of soldiers, “I must also apologise for my rudeness in what I am about to ask, but in your last mission…”

“Ya mean the one with your sister?” Loqi spoke up where Ravus trailed off, glancing down every now and again to the metal hand on his bicep.

“..yes.” Ravus admitted with a pained look on his face, “Did they perhaps mention anything about splitting off into two groups or-”

“Ravey, _honey_ , it was a battle, people tend to focus on killing each other instead of their plans for afternoon tea.” Loqi cooed mockingly. Ravus shot him a glare and let go of his arm as the pair came to a stop around a corner, under the bright white lights.

“Sorry,” Ravus hissed, “I just had to ask.”

“Okay, sure, why exactly?” Loqi questioned. Ravus’ miffed silence was enough to fill in the blank in Loqi’s head, “Ohhhhh, you want them to split up. What, you think the King of Lucis and the rogue MT that seems to have captured old Besithia’s heart will draw attention to the freaking _Oracle of Eos?_ Yes, your reasoning make sense to me.”

“She’s my _sister._ ” Ravus spat out and was about to conjure up more words to throw at Loqi but the blond intercepted, placing a calloused fingertip over Ravus’ lips, biting back a wicked cackle at the stunned and flustered expression that spread over High Commander’s face.

“Duly noted, now may I be excused? I have a rather important phone call to make.”

Loqi side-stepped out of the corner Ravus had somehow managed to trap him in, managing to make it a few steps before hesitating at the sound of the Fleuret’s miserable sigh. He stopped, did battle with just about every logical scream that reverberated around his skull, before surrendering and speaking up.

“She’s the Oracle, she’ll draw attention to herself no matter the company she keeps.” Loqi murmured softly, “So just do what you do best.”

“And that is?” Ravus scoffed slightly.

Loqi sighed and started walking again.

“Look out for her.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Hey.”

Regis turned, fond smile easing its way onto his face at the sound of his friend’s voice. Clarus stepped onto the damp patio with Luna and Cor close behind, the Oracle carrying bundles of blankets in her arms, one of which she dropped on Regis’ lap before plopping down next to him.

“Hello yourself.” He chirped as blankets were dispersed, one forced upon Cor’s lap and one wrapped snug around Clarus’ shoulders before Luna turned back to Regis. She set about draping the blanket she had deposited on his lap over the both of them before snuggling up close up to him. He sent her a smile that she softly returned before she turned her soulful blue eyes to the quiet drizzle, watching it drip and drop off the patio roof.

“How is Prompto?” Regis asked.

“Gentiana is with him now.” Cor mumbled, eyes focused on the hands in his lap.

“Ah, good.” Regis mumbled, following Luna’s gaze to the light rain that cascaded down from the heavens in pale sheets. He stared quietly before pulling his gaze back to blue eyes and blond hair.

“How do we help him?” He asked Clarus.

His Shield sighed and sunk back into the small wicker chair and its crumpled cushions, “We be there for him, for as long as he needs.”

Regis nodded, eyes darting to his left as the front door opened again and Nyx stepped out, a tray of steaming mugs in his hands.

“Anyone order a hot chocolate?” He smiled, bags creasing under his tired eyes as he let the door fall shut with a metallic whine. Luna revealed her hands, reaching up and making exhausted grabbing motions.

“Me.” She yawned, facing flushing with embarrassment that was quickly forgotten as Regis procured a mug for her.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.” Regis smiled, grabbing his own mug with a grateful nod to Nyx who handed out the rest of the drinks before sitting down next to Luna on the long outdoor sofa, pulling his jacket around him more tightly. Cor frowned and tugged his own blanket off, dropping it on Nyx who looked at him, startled, before thanking him.

“It’s fine, I wasn’t cold anyway.”

“You must be like Gen,” Luna murmured, “she never feels the cold.”

“That so?” Clarus asked over the lip of his mug.

“Well, it’s more like it doesn’t register on her, she feels it but she doesn’t shiver or feel cold…I don’t even know what I’m saying.” Luna laughed lightly.

“You should get some sleep, princess.” Nyx commented.

“But it’s not even dark yet.” She argued weakly.

“Have you ever heard of a nap? They’re quite pleasant.” Regis offered.

“So that’s where the Prince gets it from.” Cor scoffed into his cup.

“I heard that, Runt.” Regis snapped back playfully, smiling at the half-hearted glare Cor threw his way. Luna smiled into her hot chocolate, eyes turning away from the group around her to the water dropping from the sky. She closed her eyes and whispered in the back of her mind.

_I hope you’re okay, Noct._

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

He was so not okay. Everything hurt, his head was screaming and it felt like his body was completely on fire, power pulsing painfully through his veins and it felt like every joint was just waiting for the tipping point, for the moment they could burst off free from the binds of his body. Ignis and Gladio were descending from so rocky outcropping while Iris kicked and shoved the few MT units that had followed them uphill, desperately crying out to Noct, begging for some sort of confirmation that he was okay. Which he was most definitely not.

Titan roared in his head, those burning eyes leaving every memory and spark of life vulnerable and prone to collapse. Images sped through his mind, flashing before his eyes. Iris vanished and instead there was Luna, mouth moving but silent, in those casual clothes Noct had seen in the photo she’d sent, trident in hand. Cor was behind her. Both pairs of eyes were staring up to Titan in His rocky glory. 

What was He trying to tell him? Was He telling him that Luna was on the move? That she’d beat him here? Well congrats you giant ugly piece of rock, he’d already figured as much. So what was the point of this pain? Why was he hurting?!

Noct screamed angrily, collapsing to his knees as he cradled his head.

 _“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!”_ He screeched, his voice echoing around the canyon, rocks tumbling at the vibrations.

 _“GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!”_

He was only vaguely aware of the noise that was Iris, Ignis and Gladio. Only vaguely aware of their arms hauling him up of his feet as the ground before him began to crumble and tumble away from him.

_The opposing forces move fast. You must move faster._

Noct snapped his head up at the pounding voice, expecting to see Titan’s angry face when instead all he see was the underside of the Astral’s foot.

_Oh shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was unedited, I just wanted to get it out and up so if you guys spot anything please let me know and I'll fix it up. I love you all so much <3


	35. What's Left To Do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate title: what the fuck was i last doing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so it has been AGES since I've written anything. Like, anything at all. I'm so sorry about that, I know that this story has been getting so much support which means so much to me as a creator, you guys are amazing. I'm on break from university for a while but I'm not sure how well my motivation will serve me, I hope it'll come back to me soon. I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> This is for all of you who have either been here from the beginning, have joined recently, or are just about to start.
> 
> (shit, kudos to Tea my good ol' friend who helped me get inspired to write this while she got sinspired to write her own stuff, love ya boo)

Noct jolted awake, hands gripping the sheets underneath him into tight, sweaty clumps as he staggered over his breathing. The room was almost empty until he spotted Gladio’s hunched over figure in the armchair, the only sign that he’s even noticed Noct waking up being a small twitch of his head in the young King’s direction.

Noct sat up and slid off his bed cautiously, “Gladio? What, ugh, what happened?” He brought a clammy hand up to his head, trying to rub away the sharp pains that spiked under his skin as he made his way over to his Shield.

“Well, we faced the Archaean.” Gladio replied gruffly.

“Great. How did we-?”

“Ardyn, no sorry, Chancellor Izunia, got us a lift out.” The older man gritted his teeth.

“Wait, Chancellor-?!”

“Yeah, you were conked out so we didn’t really have much of a choice.” Gladio huffed out a bitter laugh, leaning back into his chair and rubbing his temples. Noct nodded silently, turning his solemn gaze away from his Shield and raking it around the room.

“Where’s Iggy? And Iris?” He asked, mentally making several notes to thank Iris for the rest of his life. Gladio took in a sharp breath and Noct frowned, re-examining his friend, there were cuts and bruises over his skin and he looked exhausted, bags sagging wearily under his eyes.

“Gladio? Where are they?”

“With Talcott.” Gladio mumbled, leaning forward and nestling his face in his hands.

“Okay…” Noct trailed off, biting his bottom lip, “did…did something happen?”

Deep brown eyes, frustrated and sunken, looked up to the young King and sighed bitterly.

“It’s Jared.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Prompto woke to the cool touch of a palm on his forehead, his eyes shot open before retreating at the sunlight that filtered through the window into his room. Groaning, he lifted himself up onto his elbows, the palm disappearing quietly.

“You awaken.” Gentiana stated, standing back as he sat up a bit more.

“I guess I do.” Prompto chuckled awkwardly.

“How did you sleep?”

“Well, I slept?” He tried, his awkward smile turning into an ashamed grimace as Gentiana’s gaze became stern.

“Perhaps you should rest more.”

“No! No, I’m up now, may as well stay up. Heh.” He laughed off his sudden outburst as best he could and shuffled around the Messenger, lifting himself to his feet and stretching his arms above his head. The somewhat comfortable silence between them was interrupted as his stomach rumbled loudly. Face flushed he glanced carefully at Gentiana who sat frowning contemplatively at him. 

“You require food.” She stated.

“Y-Yes?” Prompto squeaked.

Gentiana nodded to herself before standing up, taking Prompto’s hand, and briskly escorting him out of the room. The blond stumbled over words before eventually tripping over Nyx who woke with an aborted snore, sitting up alarmed and armed. The glaive only relaxed when he noticed it had been nothing except Prompto, placing down his blades as the blond smiled apologetically, disappearing into the kitchen behind a strangely determined Gentiana.

Nyx snickered, rubbing the back of his head and standing up, trailing in after the pair to find Gentiana pushing Prompto down into a seat before turning to the pantry.

“Gen, I can get my own breakfast.” Prompto tried to reason with her but the Messenger simply froze him in place with an icy glare and continued about her business. Prompto sent Nyx a pleading pout that the glaive barked a laugh at.

“Not my problem.” Nyx teased as he strode over to the seat beside the blond.

“I’m making it your problem, effective immediately.” Prompto snapped back with a smile, earning a shove from the glaive that had the blond cackling.

“Prompto,” Gentiana interrupted delicately, “would bacon and eggs suffice?”

“Wh-Gen, you don’t have to go all out…” Prompto trailed off as Gentiana stared him down, “bacon and eggs are fine.”

The Messenger nodded and began collecting ingredients, setting them out on the bench one by one.

“You want some help?” Nyx asked.

“If you wish.”

“I’ll help too-”

“No, you are to rest.” Gentiana cut Prompto off. The blond pouted and glared at Nyx as the glaive snickered and made his way over to the Messenger, walking her through the basics. 

Prompto turned his gaze to the window and stared beyond its glass pane, watching as the sun peeked out from behind gathering clouds, trees relatively still in the fresh morning air, the café perfectly still and silent with Wiz seated comfortably on a damp, plastic chair. 

“So uh,” He began, glancing awkwardly out of the corner of his eye in a way that strained his vision, “where do we go from here?”

“Altissia, preferably.” Gentiana chirped lightly, nudging Nyx around the kitchen gently, a disgruntled frown creasing the loyal Glaive’s features as he attempted to help her.

“For…the wedding?” He asked, voice quiet as his gaze dropped to the floor, failing to catch Nyx’s concerned glance.

“Yes.” Gentiana hummed, eyes opening briefly before slipping shut once more. 

Tight and tense silence drifted down from the rafters, settling on Prompto like dust, surrounding him in a small bubble as Nyx bickered with Gentiana. Something about closed eyes and cooking being a bad combination? He didn’t pay attention to much else apart from the whirlwind whipping up inside his chest and the sudden creak of the floorboards just outside the kitchen.

Frowning, he tentatively stood up and made to leave.

“Hey,” Nyx called, “where’re you headed?”

“Just need some fresh air, don’t worry, I won’t suddenly vomit again…or bring forth my wicked MT powers.” Prompto snickered weakly. 

“Do not be gone long.” Gentiana murmured before continuing, the crack of an eggshell drawing Nyx back into the kitchen. Prompto took it as his cue and ducked out, managing to catch the end of Pryna’s tail as she disappeared outside. 

He followed cautiously, meandering over slowly and stepping outside himself, smelling the damp air that cloyed comfortably in his throat and lungs before spotting Pryna duck around the corner of Wiz’s house.

“Pryna?” He called after her, “Where are you going?”

Heading after her, Prompto found not just the Oracle’s canine companion but the Oracle as well, leaning against the side of the house and gazing down at the ground with such heavy solemnity. Her blonde hair was out and in a frazzled mess of curls and straight lines. Her toes clenched the mud underneath her feet, brushing at the ends of her pants as she fidgeted with her arms and hands.

“Luna?” He whispered, the atmosphere too heavy to try and break with a louder tone of voice, “Luna, are you okay?”

Pryna whined at her feet and plopped down on the grass, looking between the two blonds as Prompto came closer.

Luna sniffed at the cool air and shakily moved her hair out of her face.

“It felt…with everything that’s been happening, I’d forgotten.” She mumbled, mouth barely moving as Prompto’s shoulder rested against hers, his lithe figure leaning against the wall behind them as he kept his keen eyes trained on her.

“Forgot what?” He prompted.

“…the wedding.”

Oh.

“Oh.” Prompto breathed, his mind falling silent, words escaping him completely.

“With everything that’s been happening, it’s just…I’ve felt… _normal_. Like, a normal girl, with no responsibilities to either kingdom and I…I guess I’m just getting the wake-up call.” She laughed wetly.

“I thought you wanted to marry Noct?” Prompto frowned.

“At some point, yes,” she whispered, “but the girl who wanted that, she…well she’s not exactly here anymore.”

Pryna shuffled forward, pressing her muzzle against Luna’s leg, earning herself a small pat and weak smile.

“I did love Noctis, I still do in some way, but…suddenly this marriage feels so restrictive, in way it didn’t before when I agreed.”

“If…if you don’t love Noct,” Prompto hesitated, “then why did you agree to marry him?”

“Politics,” Luna replied lightly, rubbing at her eyes, “and…I wanted to see him again.”

She closed her eyes and felt the heaviness of duty settle over her again, the familiar but forever maddening weight lying over her shoulders. She had lived like this for so long, she’d forgotten freedom until she’d been forced to go on the run, and now with this sudden reminder of her life and her responsibilities…well, she’d never been free had she? It had only been a brief, pathetic apology from fate itself, taunting her with what she could have had if her mother had lived, if her brother had remembered how to smile, if Noctis had been able to visit Tenebrae throughout their childhood…

Prompto laid an arm over her shoulders and didn’t say anything as Luna collected herself.

“I used to think he would save me.” Luna murmured.

“And now?” Prompto asked cautiously.

“Now?” She hummed, lifting her eyes to meet his, ripe with unshed tears, “Now I know that it’s going to take a lot more than just one man to save me, to save Eos. It’s going to take all of us.”

“Even me?” Prompto joked weakly, earning himself a light, tinkling laugh.

“Especially you.”

The front door banged open and Cor stomped out, somehow managing to zero in on their location instantly with a murderous glare set on his face, katana in his hand.

“Princess,” Prompto swore he could _hear_ the Immortal’s teeth grinding against each other, “we need to have a word about your Messenger’s cooking skills.”

“What about them?” Luna croaked, clearing her voice and standing up.

“She has none.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

Noct looked at the people in front of him, standing awkwardly in the entrance to what had been Talcott and Jared’s room. Iris looked up at him with watery eyes, Moogle doll practically squeezed to death in her arms as Ignis held himself stiffly in an armchair.

“Tell me Gladio’s lying.” He ordered.

“Noct-”

“ _Tell me._ ” He hissed, the sharp tone provoking a stifled sob out of Iris’ lungs. Gladio shoved his way past Noct at the noise and dropped down on his knees in front of his younger sister’s chair, casting an angry glance over his shoulder at Noct.

“What the hell makes you think I’d be lying?” He growled, turning away without waiting for an answer, gently reaching out resting a hand on Iris’ shoulder. The touch being enough for the young girl to crumple against him, dropping her Moogle to the floor in favour of wrapping her arms around her brother and stifling sobs into his shoulder.

“This…this can’t be- _we weren’t gone that long._ ” Noct tried, his voice cracking desperately as he began to pace the room.

“Noct, you need to calm down-” Ignis tried.

“ _Jared is dead,_ ” Noct spat, “how the _fuck_ am I meant to stay calm?!”

“Noct-”

The door creaked slightly, drawing the attention of four pairs of eyes. Talcott stood in the doorway, small figure shaking minutely as he kept his gaze trained to the floor. He opened his mouth, before shutting quickly and dashing off.

“Talcott!” Iris called out with a wet voice, pulling herself out of Gladio’s grasp and chasing after the newly orphaned boy.

Noct collapsed onto the coffee table, exhaustion taking over him suddenly as he listened to Iris disappear down the hall. Both Gladio and Ignis slumped wearily where they sat, the strategist with a hand over his eyes and the shield with his hands running through his hair.

“Why did this happen? And to _Talcott?_ ” Noct whispered, voice strangled by his vocal chords in his throat, forming a tight lump that was making it difficult to breathe evenly.

“…they knew we were here.” Ignis murmured, “If the Chancellor knew that we were here in Lestallum then there’s no doubt they knew where we were staying.”

“But…why-?”

“We associated with him.” Gladio bit, “That was most likely enough to get him on their radar, but once the Empire figured out Jared had been close to the Royal family,” his dark brown eyes shut, brows furrowing in self-condemnation before he continued, “…it was probably more than enough reason to kill him.”

“But-!”

“Noct,” Ignis interrupted softly, “there’s nothing we could have done.”

The young king’s head drooped, his eyelids falling heavy, too tired to hold back the tears building up and spilling over his cheeks.

“Yeah,” he choked out, “and that’s the problem.”

 

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

“Honestly,” came the gruff, metallic voice as the man slammed the book shut, standing up and wincing behind his armour as his knees creaked in protest, “it’s rather naïve of them to think that one mutt was enough protection against this goldmine.”

Sharp, metal claws pulled a Polaroid out of the book, shaking the blood off it absently before holding it still. 

“I’ll be damned,” the man hummed, “another roadtrip, your Majesty? At your age?”

His only response was a whine, emanating from the now three-legged, monochromatic mess in front of him.

“Why,” the man continued, ignoring the canine as he tucked the photo back into the book and placed the book under his arm, stalking off through the underbrush as her zeroed in on his target, “anything could happen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (ngl sole reason for that last little bit is because it had been ages since i'd last seen doggo and was kinda freaking out about where the fuck he was)

**Author's Note:**

> (Unedited so I'm sorry for any mistakes! If you see any, let me know and I'll go fix them up!)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Duscaen Night's Dream](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10034741) by [Deniera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deniera/pseuds/Deniera)




End file.
